NewsWhore
12-22-2008, 05:30 PM
For the third time, and this time with about 30 cars in service, the Santo Domingo Metro will be transporting passengers free of charge from 9am until 7pm beginning today.
Ten trains will travel between the 16 stations during this period.
The route will include all 16 stations of the first line that runs from Villa Mella to La Feria, according to the Transport Reorganization Office (OPRET) communications director Leonel Carrasco: "Everything is ready, we have the certifications that the international supervisors have given us and we have carried out all the trials, including an accident scenario simulation."
In order to use the Metro, passengers have to obtain a ticket at the ticket counters in each station, for free, Carrasco explained: "At the end of each run, passengers have to get out and go outside, and if they wish to return to their point of origin, they have to go through the same procedure and obtain another ticket."
Opret told Diario Libre that it will put 10 trains into service, and will hold four others in reserve in case they are needed. Waiting time between trains will be five to seven minutes, possibly more if the required number of passengers is not obtained, according to Carrasco. The Metro runs will go on every day beginning at 9 o'clock in the morning and run until 7 o'clock in the evenings, and service will continue until 6 January. These rides are part of the pre-commercial trials that are aimed at educating passengers on how to use the new system. On 24 and 31 December the runs will go on until 4 o'clock in the afternoon.
Yesterday trains were seen moving all along the route and the stations remained closed, with just the normal security personnel. Carrasco told reporters, "The idea is for people use it in an orderly manner and we are prepared for any eventuality, and we are asking the public to behave the same way they did during the Book Fair, and understand that these machines are public property and should be looked after."
The construction of the Santo Domingo metro first line began in 2005 with a US$735 million investment and has an extension of 14.2 kms, according to OPRET. A specialized security corps (Cesmet) is in charge of security at the 16 stations, with 454 agents to assist travelers. OPRET says that the metro fares will be RD$20-RD$25 after the holidays.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#1)
Ten trains will travel between the 16 stations during this period.
The route will include all 16 stations of the first line that runs from Villa Mella to La Feria, according to the Transport Reorganization Office (OPRET) communications director Leonel Carrasco: "Everything is ready, we have the certifications that the international supervisors have given us and we have carried out all the trials, including an accident scenario simulation."
In order to use the Metro, passengers have to obtain a ticket at the ticket counters in each station, for free, Carrasco explained: "At the end of each run, passengers have to get out and go outside, and if they wish to return to their point of origin, they have to go through the same procedure and obtain another ticket."
Opret told Diario Libre that it will put 10 trains into service, and will hold four others in reserve in case they are needed. Waiting time between trains will be five to seven minutes, possibly more if the required number of passengers is not obtained, according to Carrasco. The Metro runs will go on every day beginning at 9 o'clock in the morning and run until 7 o'clock in the evenings, and service will continue until 6 January. These rides are part of the pre-commercial trials that are aimed at educating passengers on how to use the new system. On 24 and 31 December the runs will go on until 4 o'clock in the afternoon.
Yesterday trains were seen moving all along the route and the stations remained closed, with just the normal security personnel. Carrasco told reporters, "The idea is for people use it in an orderly manner and we are prepared for any eventuality, and we are asking the public to behave the same way they did during the Book Fair, and understand that these machines are public property and should be looked after."
The construction of the Santo Domingo metro first line began in 2005 with a US$735 million investment and has an extension of 14.2 kms, according to OPRET. A specialized security corps (Cesmet) is in charge of security at the 16 stations, with 454 agents to assist travelers. OPRET says that the metro fares will be RD$20-RD$25 after the holidays.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#1)