Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico - The modernization of public transportation has been a long-awaited and desired dream for Puerto Vallarta residents and visitors, and it looks as if that dream might soon be realized.

At a press conference last week, Jalisco Secretary of Transportation Representative Andrés González Palomera said that Puerto Vallarta will soon set an example on a national level in the modernization of an urban transit system that will not only benefits commuters, but also improve tourist perception of the destination.

According to Andrés González, the city's bus service will be improved in every way - from creating new routes and reducing the number of units in the downtown area, to acquiring new, better-equipped buses and improving driver training.

He went on to say that concessions have to be made in a deal between the state, drivers, and unions. The state has agreed to provide refinancing for the acquisition of new buses, if the owners of public transportation units agree to consolidate into one or two companies with upgraded buses and more organized routes.

According to the Jalisco Secretary of Transportation, Mauricio Gudiño Coronado, "There are currently 450 buses running in the Puerto Vallarta area, we will reduce that number to less than 350. We have too many units operating in the city, and the current model isn't working, so we will establish a new model of public transportation with designated stops and schedules."

Several new buses have already been put into operation, but when the new routes are determined and implemented, nearly 100 buses will be removed from service.

Andrés González assured that the people who rely on the city's public transportation system will still have bus service. The goal is to provide a more efficient and safe service to residents and visitors, he explained.

He said that reordering the service routes and significantly reducing the number of units circulating throughout the city will yield lower costs for the transportation providers and better service for all citizens - especially in the downtown area, where the number of buses have caused excessive traffic and noise pollution and, in turn, the decline of visitors to Puerto Vallarta's historic center.

González noted that driver training and new guidelines will lead to fewer complaints about poor public transportation service. He added that the Department of Transportation is acting aggressively to provide the people of Puerto Vallarta with the best public transportation possible.

The final agreement is expected to be signed this week and the city's new model of public transportation is anticipated to be fully operational by the first quarter of 2015.