With the smog warning in effect due to high levels of ozone, Mexico City’s government announced that all transport systems will be free to increase the influx of users.
On the Metro, the form of transportation most used by the population to move itself, the amount of passengers rose between 15 and 18 percent, according to the Chief of Government in Mexico City, Miguel Ángel Mancera.
On the Transport System of Passengers (RTP), which daily transports 400 thousand people on its different routes, had a 17 percent higher demand in general, but it was explained that the first day of free service started at noon and because it happened on a Tuesday, the number of travelers was low. Even so, 25 thousand more users were counted than usual.
On the second day of the warning, the rate rose to 56 thousand people, but that represents the same 17 percent increase since on Wednesday the number of people traveling usually goes up.
On the Metrobús, in one day 1,051,000 people usually ride. This March 15, when the gratuity was applied at mid-day, it was used by 1,230,000 passengers, which represents a 10 percent rise.
For the second day of cost-free service, at 7 p.m. more than 1,300,000 people had used the Metrobús.
On the Electric Transport Service, the influx rose 20 percent on the light rail, same as the trolley bus. In the former 105,000 people usually travel every day and the users rose more than 44,000 with the free service, while on the second day it was used by more than 218,000 people and during the days of the warning the quantity of travelers rose by 44,000.
THE NEWS