Earlier today the announcement was made that the Bogotá bus strike would end and services would resume on Friday morning. The strike lasted for 4 days bringing a lot of the city to a standstill. Schools, universities and even many businesses had to close because students and employees were unable to make their typical commute without the buses. It will take a while for many to recoup the losses of this four-day strike. As Senor Lopez, the bus union leader, apologized for the effects, I could tell it was an empty apology from someone who in the end got very little using the strike as a negotiating tool. I wish there was a way to organize commuters to strike and not use the busses to let them feel the effects of their actions. But as the strike did prove, the buses are a necessary evil in this town for now. I look forward to the mayor’s new transportation system to take effect reducing the buses on Bogotá’s streets.
Thomas Johnston 