The firms assure that they no longer have the obligation to do so because they are no longer a “public service.” The Government moves forward with sanctions and begins a dispute that involves more than 100,000 tickets and $3.5 billion per month.
As Ámbito anticipated, medium and long-distance transportation companies stopped providing free tickets to people with disabilities. The firms assure that since the publication of the decree that deregulated the sector, they have no obligation to do so because they are no longer a “public service.” The Government warns that they will fine the lines that do not deliver the tickets. A legal dispute is opened involving more than 100,000 tickets and $3.5 billion per month.
On November 20, National Sovereignty Day is celebrated. The holiday is moved to Monday the 18th to set up a long weekend. The demand for tickets to different destinations in the country is skyrocketing and people with disabilities are no exception. But in this case, heUsers found themselves with a surprise: companies stopped granting the benefit of free tickets that they delivered until two weeks ago.
“We cut the new services, we are only delivering the tickets that were previously reserved as a matter of commitment”an important source in the sector confirmed to this medium. Along those lines, he argued: “We no longer have any obligation to take them for free.”
The explanation given by the cameras that represent medium and long distance transportation is that, as this medium anticipated, The deregulation carried out by the Government ended the public service criterion that was in effect prior to the decree and with that decision the regulations that obliged them to grant the benefit disappeared.
What the Government says
From the Ministry of Transportation they assured that “the deregulation of automobile transportation did not eliminate free tickets for people with a disability certificate.so the obligation of companies to offer free places to transport the disabled remains in force.”
Along these lines, they stated that “the CNRT is notifying the companies that unilaterally decided to suspend the issuance of these services.” On this point, They indicated that some 44 companies that did not load the service in the system have already been sanctioned and they demanded that the sector chambers “review their actions.”
Free travel began in 2014 when the State subsidized medium and long-distance transportation companies, but in 2017 the subsidies were completely removed and replaced by a partial compensation scheme for those free tickets. As the years went by, the cap that was imposed became increasingly outdated due to the effect of inflation.
The companies assure that they must cover almost 100,000 tickets per month and that the bill to pay exceeds $3.5 billion per month. Despite the sanctions, they argue that with deregulation they were left in the same situation as other actors such as minibuses, taxis, tourist buses that do not have to comply with that obligation. They are going to appeal and, at least for now, The issue will be resolved in court.
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
