Over the last 40 years the Dominican Republic has spent RD$20 billion on failed public transportation solutions. This sum does not include the US$250 million that was spent on Plan Renove by the Mejia administration. Reports show that since 1961, different governments have tried to come up with a viable solution to the issue of public transportation, but none have worked to everyone’s satisfaction. According to Listin Diario, over 500,000 vehicles have been imported as part of the different programs, and the only result has been a sort of paternalism within the sector, increasing the transport unions leaders’ political power. Stemming from the administration of Joaquin Balaguer (1966-1978 and 1986-1996), threats of transportation strikes were met with government negotiations that exacerbated the problem for future generations. After Balaguer created the Municipal Transport Corporation and a fleet of Blue Bird buses, President Antonio Guzman, in 1979, created the ONATRATE, or the Office of Ground Transportation, acquiring 500 buses. The Salvador Jorge Blanco administration, 1982-1986, continued acquiring more units for the system and in 1986, President Balaguer purchased another 400 units, that, because of their colors, were nicknamed “Little Flags” (“Banderitas” in Spanish). Balaguer also facilitated the purchase of 118 buses by means of credits through the Banco de Reservas and permitted yet another 5000 units to enter through Customs at tax rates ranging from 10% and 20%. The tab for these facilities was estimated to be RD$1.044 billion. Still, not even the 6,000 vehicles brought into the country under the Plan Renove or the 300,000 motorcycles purchased for use as the ubiquitous “motoconcho”, nor the 600 buses given to OMSA have ever solved the problem. Even the Fernandez government has shown itself to be hypersensitive to the transportation issue, as witnessed by the proliferation of the yellow cabs and minivans called “chicks” (or “pollitos” in Spanish) by the populace, very tongue in cheek. But there is still no solution to the problem.