On the afternoon of July 23, 2024, councilman Juan David Quintero from the Nuevo Liberalismo – En Marcha coalition raised serious concerns about the management of parking services operated by the Bogotá Transportation Terminal S.A. He criticized what he described as a “worrisome handling” of resources, pointing to issues related to a contract originally established during Claudia López’s administration.
Quintero shared insights from an investigation led by his team since November 2021. This inquiry focused on the operation of paid parking zones authorized by the Mayor’s Office for public streets. The findings revealed numerous deficiencies in the service provided.
In his statement on X (formerly Twitter), Quintero called for an immediate suspension of the on-street parking contract in Bogotá. He claimed that Claudia López favored the Bogotá Terminal by assigning the management of a parking service for which it lacked experience, resulting in poor administration.
The councilman highlighted that the contract was awarded directly to the Terminal without assessing its ability to provide adequate service. He noted that the Terminal created the business model for the public operation of on-street parking, acting as an intermediary and benefiting financially by subcontracting other organizations, including the Medellín Transportation Terminal and ETB. Quintero expressed frustration, stating, “The López administration established an inefficient model of ‘Parking Zones’ that profits in multiple ways.”
A critical issue Quintero pointed out is the financial handling of the parking system. He explained that from every 100 pesos paid by citizens for parking, only 10 pesos go to the Bogotá Terminal as assured profit, while 52.4 pesos cover operational costs, 7.8 pesos are allocated to road maintenance, and 29.8 pesos are used to finance the deficit of Bogotá’s transportation system. He emphasized, “This service costs the city 62.4 pesos for every 100 pesos collected. It’s overly expensive and not a profitable venture!”
Due to these inefficiencies and high costs, Quintero urged for the parking contract to be halted, arguing that the expected results have not been achieved. What started as a pilot program turned into a ten-year contract, which he criticized as a terrible deal for the city.
Quintero also expressed concern over the management of parking facilities by the Urban Development Institute (IDU) and the Department of Administrative Defenders of Public Space (Dadep), which were transferred to the Terminal in the latter half of 2019. Currently, the Terminal is operating 31 parking sites throughout the city.
He noted that the entity continues to manage these facilities, yet his team’s findings indicate that “the inefficiency of the agency is evident in the public parking lots, which are in poor condition due to a lack of maintenance.” Furthermore, Quintero revealed a dramatic drop in revenue from these parking lots, which have decreased by up to 82%. When privately managed during 2017 and 2018, revenues exceeded those of 2023, despite the six-year gap.
In conclusion, Quintero asserted that the Bogotá Transportation Terminal has become “the worst mixed company (with over 90% belonging to the District) generating revenue for the people of Bogotá” and that there is currently no oversight regarding poor parking practices. He reaffirmed his commitment to defending public space with the campaign “If you have money for whiskey, you have money for ice – if you have money for a car, you have money for parking.” He also called for a redesign of the system to enhance revenue generation instead of imposing new taxes.
Image and News Source: https://www.infobae.com/colombia/2024/07/24/concejal-de-bogota-denuncio-irregularidades-en-servicio-de-parqueo-en-via-nos-hicieron-la-jugadita/
