Uncovering Mexico
Jeremy Schwartz is the Mexico correspondent for Cox Newspapers. He is based in Mexico City.What's on this page?
The entry titled "Who knew? Guatemala City holds the secret to traffic jams.."
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Home > Uncovering Mexico > Archives > 2007 > September > 17 > Entry
Who knew? Guatemala City holds the secret to traffic jams.
As we sped through the pre-dawn streets of Guatemala City on our way to the airport, my wife and I couldn’t help noticing the squadron of 18-wheelers crowding the darkened roads.
Our taxi driver explained that a few weeks ago, the Guatemala City mayor, desperate to ease the city’s traffic, had taken the drastic step of banning tractor trailers and other large trucks from the city’s streets during morning and afternoon rush hours. The drivers had understandably rebelled at the idea of having to work mostly at night and staged a three-day strike that nearly paralyzed the city. In the end though, the city won out and the 18-wheelers have been consigned to night duty ever since.
As we flew home to Mexico City, I couldn’t help wonder how such an idea would work in this megalopolis with its horrendous traffic jams. Mexico City residents spend a good part of their day stuck in traffic and it’s not noteworthy for it to take three hours to get from one side of the city to the other during rush hour. And mingled in with Mexico City’s six million personal vehicles are a legion of tractor trailers.
I’m not sure if banning them from the city streets during the day would be feasible - a city of this size certainly depends on reliable deliveries to keep things running smoothly. But the city’s new administration is looking for new and creative ways to ease congestion and the pollution that comes with it.
They’ve already tried forcing city government employees to bike to work one day a month. Maybe officials will look south for more inspiration.
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