Amidst the sustained impact of rising fuel prices, the Transit and Land Transportation Authority (ATTT) announced that registration is now open for carriers to access the state subsidy, a key measure to prevent fare hikes in public transport, which would affect users and the cost of living. According to the National Authority for Government Innovation and the ATTT, drivers of collective, selective, and school transport can now enter the Panamá Conecta digital platform and complete their application online. Only vehicles up to date with their obligations, including a valid license plate and a clearance from the ATTT, will be eligible for the benefit. At gas stations, a code will be used to verify if the vehicle is enabled to receive the subsidy. This information will come from the ATTT's database, which records collective and selective transport vehicles with their license plates in order. In this scenario, the subsidy becomes a containment mechanism to prevent the cost increase from being passed directly on to users. To facilitate the registration process, the ATTT has enabled a detailed manual on its web portal, explaining step-by-step how to complete the registration and avoid errors that could delay the validation of applications. The entity stated that it is “a process that seeks to expedite the delivery of the benefit and improve the traceability of public funds.” The fuel subsidy program is estimated to amount to an additional 15 million dollars per month to prevent fares from increasing, indicated the director of the ATTT, Nicolás Brea. He also noted that “it is estimated that the impact of the fuel price increase represents nearly 50% of the operational costs of carriers”. Precisely, one of the sectors most affected by this increase in operational costs is freight transport, which will soon be included in the program. The measure is implemented after carriers warned authorities about the financial pressure they face due to the rising cost of fuel. Authorities insisted on the importance of following instructions correctly to ensure access to the benefit. Through the Panamá Conecta platform, public transport drivers (collective, selective, tourism, and school) can access the official website and register at https://panamaconecta.gob.pa/menu. This system will allow for the control and oversight of public funds; it will also enable the necessary controls to ensure the subsidy reaches the carrier and, consequently, the user. The mechanism will function through prior registration of authorized carriers and drivers. The entity warned that delinquent carriers will not be able to apply for the benefit. The temporary fuel price stabilization measure sets a cap of 88 cents per liter for 91-octane gasoline and 90 cents per liter for low-sulfur diesel, the main fuels used by the transport sector. 95-octane gasoline is excluded.
