The sustained increase in fuel prices is heavily impacting the transport sector in the country's interior, where operators report that operational costs have surged by up to 40%, compromising the sustainability of the service. Luis Castillero, a representative of the transport provider Transporte Inazuny and a spokesperson for Herrera in the National Corporation of Public Transport Concessions (CONACOTRAP), explained that a round trip between Chitré and Panama previously cost approximately $150 in fuel; however, this amount has now increased considerably, forcing the guild to evaluate urgent measures to address the situation. The leader indicated that transporters across the country have begun a series of meetings in various provinces, including Santiago and Herrera, to analyze alternatives that will allow them to maintain the service without directly passing the impact on to users through a fare increase. Emiliano Olaves, president of the Chitré–Santiago route, stated that operational adjustments have already been implemented to reduce fuel consumption. Among the main measures is the extension of bus departure intervals, increasing from every 30 minutes to every 45 minutes, which reduces the number of daily trips and, consequently, fuel expenditure. Olaves detailed that each unit currently consumes an average of about $35 per trip, which amounts to nearly $100 per day per bus if two or three trips are made. For his route, composed of 15 units, the total daily consumption reaches approximately $1,500, a figure that highlights the economic pressure the sector is facing. Transporters agree that the impact has been significant and warn that if this trend continues, it will be increasingly difficult to sustain operations without affecting service quality or considering fare adjustments. Meanwhile, the guild continues to seek mechanisms to mitigate the impact of this crisis that threatens the stability of public transport in the country's interior.
