Background

Panama’s economy is predominantly anchored to a highly developed services sector, which is concentrated in the Panama Metropolitan Area (AMP) especially in the districts east of the Panama Canal. The AMP is comprised of six districts: Panama, San Miguelito and Chepo (in Panama Province), Arraiján, La Chorrera, and Capira (in West Panama Province). As of 2019, the districts of Arraiján and La Chorrera account for 82.8% of West Panama’s population, however, as employment opportunities are highly concentrated in the district of Panama, residents of West Panama must commute east for work. In fact, 49.6% of micro, small, and medium-sized businesses, which comprise 97% of all enterprises in the country. For the population of Arraiján and La Chorrera to fully utilize and benefit from the Panama Metro Line 3 as well as the entire metro system, the current public bus transport system must be modernized and restructured into an inclusive, demand-oriented network that facilitates access from households to metro station.

Objective

Develop a strategy for the restructuring of the public bus system in the Panama Metropolitan Area in the districts of Arraiján and La Chorrera within West Panama Province.

Expected Results

Carry out an in-depth market study of the current public bus system in the districts of Arraiján and La Chorrera of the West Panama province to design an integrated public transport network. These studies will provide a vision for an integrated public transportation system and a roadmap for its implementation in Arraiján and La Chorrera with Metro Line 3 serving as the backbone supplemented by a modernized and restructured bus system.