Dominican Republic transport experts debate mobility challenges

Experts and legislators gathered at Universidad APEC (Unapec) for a forum titled ‘Retos del transporte en República Dominicana’ to discuss the country's growing mobility and road safety challenges.

Transport specialist Federico Pérez Polanco noted that private vehicles account for approximately 41% of the roughly 3.1 million daily trips in the country. He advocated for a transition toward an integrated public transportation system to reduce road congestion and improve quality of life.

Deputy Tobías Crespo highlighted that the national vehicle fleet grows by 4% to 5% annually, adding over 60,000 cars and 200,000 motorcycles each year. Crespo warned that road infrastructure is not expanding at a rate sufficient to match this growth, leading to recurrent traffic jams.

Unapec Rector Erik Pérez Vega emphasized the need for improved road safety education in schools and better urban planning to manage congestion in major cities like Santo Domingo and Santiago, as well as tourist hubs like Punta Cana and Bávaro.