Nosarita residents no longer have the public transport service that connected the area with Nicoya. On Tuesday, April 10th the bus company, TRAROC, suspended its services on the route that connects the communities of Nicoya, Belen, Nosarita and Caimital.

The main reason for why the company stopped operating the bus route is because they are not authorized by the Concejo de Transporte Público (Public Transport Council) to provide such service, explained Eliécer Rojas, TRAROC's representative.

The Agreement Ended in 2011
In 2006 an agreement was established between German Bank KFW, MOPT and the Municipality of Nicoya in order to improve the road that connects Caimital with Nosarita.

Antonio Méndez, town councilor during the period in which the road was negotiated, explained that the total amount allocated for several projects within the canton of Nicoya was 120 million colones, with a portion assigned for improving Nosarita's road.

According to Méndez, TRAROC was never required to provide transportation services on this route; however, they did it to help the area's residents.

Bernardo Vargas, former mayor of Nicoya at the time, explained that the agreement included the construction of sewers, expanding the road to a 14-meter width and road maintenance from 2008 to 2011.

In turn, Rojas stated that continuing the bus service to Nosarita is "not profitable for us because the operating costs for that bus route are higher than the income obtained."

An Unregistered Road
The road that connects the communities of Caimital and Nosarita is an 8-kilometer gravel road that has not been registered in the Public Transport Council.

When VON asked whether a route number has been assigned, the Public Transport Council replied in the negative. Johnny Berrocal, an officer at the Department of Concessions and Permits Management, explained that there are no current records for that particular route and therefore, the authorization for public transport service for it would have to be requested.

Affected Users
Jesús Esquivel, a resident of Nosarita, stated that for him and for the rest of Nosarita's residents the transport service suspension has caused great inconvenience when they have to travel to other places.

"Here in town not many people ride the bus since we are approximately 12 people, but many rely on it to go to work, medical appointments or for running errands," he said.