Santo Domingo.- President Luis Abinader delivered this Wednesday 40 new buses intended for the transportation of university students from different associations in the country, an initiative that expands to 90 the fleet of units delivered during his administration and strengthens the mobility of thousands of young people who travel daily to their higher education centers.

During the event held within the framework of International Youth Day, President Abinader, accompanied by the Administrative Minister of the Presidency, Andrés Bautista, and the Minister of Youth, Carlos Valdez, highlighted the importance of this initiative for thousands of young people who reside in remote municipalities and need to travel safely and reliably to universities.

The president highlighted that, although the investment in these vehicles does not represent one of the largest amounts within the Government's actions, its social impact is significant, because it contributes to guaranteeing the transfer of students from distant communities to their higher training centers.

The governor pointed out that transportation constitutes a fundamental component to guarantee the attendance and permanence of students in the university and pre-university educational systems, in addition to representing a relief for families who must assume the costs of mobility.

The head of state explained that the Government has concentrated efforts on strengthening higher education throughout the national territory through the construction of university cities and the expansion of extensions of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), accompanied by transportation initiatives that facilitate young people's access to these training centers.

Government launches Shift program

The Minister of Youth, Carlos Valdez, also spoke at the event, announcing the New Opportunities Route University Transportation program (Turno), a strategy aimed at organizing and geolocating student associations, establishing routes and optimizing the use of buses according to the needs of the different communities.

Valdez explained that the program includes mechanisms to guarantee the sustainability of the units, including insurance coverage, payment of drivers and maintenance of buses, with the purpose that the initiative transcends the delivery of vehicles and becomes a permanent student mobility strategy.

The minister indicated that Turno also seeks to promote more efficient use of buses, so that the units can serve students from nearby communities when they are not being used on their usual routes, thus expanding the scope of the service.

Likewise, he highlighted that the Government has more than 110,000 scholarship opportunities for young people and has promoted various initiatives aimed at facilitating access to higher education, to expand the possibilities of professional training.

With the delivery of these 40 new units, the Government strengthens university student mobility and seeks to reduce the economic and geographical barriers that young people face when moving to their training centers, which contributes to expanding opportunities for access and permanence in higher education.

The initiative also represents support for families, by helping to reduce expenses associated with transportation and offering students safer and more reliable conditions to travel to universities, especially those who reside in communities far from the main urban centers.