Santo Domingo Metro one of only two ´self-sustained´ in the world

Santo Domingo.- The farewhich Santo Domingo Metro 230,000 `s passengers pay daily is enough to self-sustainthe modern mass transit system, whose yearly earnings are as high as RD$1.3billion (US$27.8 million).

The government hadfunneled US$25 million for operating and maintenance expenses the First MetroLine annually but the subsidy is no longer needed.

Transport ReorganizationOffice (Opret) director Diandino Peña on Thursday said Santo Domingo´s Metro is one of the world´s only two self-sustainingrailway transit system. "The Metrosystem is a safe, fast, massive, convenient transportation, and is currentlythe second metro in the world that generates resources, only by way of fares,sufficient enough to sustain."

In that regard theofficial said compared with international metros the price per ticket in the locallines are “miniscule and insignificant.” We´remaking just 0.45 cents (RD$20) when in New York the minimum is two US dollars(RD$90); and still with that income via tickets only, without entering theexploitation phase of the business side and selling ads, we are alreadyreaching a balance."