Background and Relevance of the Change
In a recent session of the Junta de Gobierno (Governing Board) of the Instituto de Movilidad y Accesibilidad (IMA), or Institute for Mobility and Accessibility, Nuevo León’s state government decided to shift from a payment model based on kilometers traveled to one based on passengers carried per kilometer. This change comes after the previous model, implemented in March 2023, led to high operational and administrative costs due to the state government assuming all demand risk.
Who is Involved?
The Instituto de Movilidad y Accesibilidad (IMA) is a state-level organization responsible for overseeing and improving mobility and accessibility in Nuevo León. The Consejo Cívico, a nonpartisan civil society organization focused on promoting citizen participation, has been actively monitoring the situation and advocating for better mobility policies.
Details of the New Payment Model
The new passenger-kilometer payment model aims to:
- Create better incentives for strengthening high-demand routes and frequencies.
- Increase income for transport operators.
- Reduce fare evasion.
- Encourage proper vehicle maintenance and care through the option to purchase buses.
The state government has assured that there will be no increase in the current fare, which remains at 15.60 pesos per trip.
Concerns from the Consejo Cívico
Despite the new payment model, the Consejo Cívico remains concerned about several aspects of Nuevo León’s mobility model:
- Lack of a Strategic Mobility Plan: The organization calls for the creation and implementation of a comprehensive, medium- to long-term Mobility Strategy developed by independent experts with a clear metropolitan vision.
- Insufficient Governance Mechanisms: The Consejo Cívico points out the absence of governance mechanisms aligned with both the Ley de Movilidad y Accesibilidad (Mobility and Accessibility Law) and Lineamientos de Gobernanza para Organismos Públicos Descentralizados (Guidelines for Governance of Decentralized Public Entities) of the state administration.
- Delayed Junta de Gobierno Proceedings: The organization criticizes the IMA’s governing board for not adhering to established timelines, failing to distribute and publish session minutes promptly on transparency platforms.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the new payment model for public transportation in Nuevo León? The state government has adopted a passenger-kilometer payment model, where transport operators will be compensated based on the number of passengers carried per kilometer.
- Why did Nuevo León change its payment model? The previous kilometer-traveled-based model resulted in high operational and administrative costs due to the state government assuming all demand risk.
- What concerns does the Consejo Cívico have regarding Nuevo León’s mobility model? The organization is concerned about the lack of a strategic mobility plan, insufficient governance mechanisms, and delays in Junta de Gobierno proceedings.
