Puerto Vallarta, 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 meeting last week between Mayor Arturo Peña Dávalos, Jalisco Secretary of Transportation (SEMOV) Servando Sepúlveda Enriquez, local authorities and public transportation providers, the reorganization and modernization of urban transportation in Puerto Vallarta was discussed for the second time since Peña Dávalos took office.

The plans include everything from creating new routes and reducing the number of units in the downtown area to acquiring new, better-equipped buses, improving driver training, and implementing a single prepaid system in an effort to provide better, more efficient service to commuters and visitors.

The head of the SEMOV explained that these actions are the result of months of study and that additional meetings will have to be held to inform local carriers, unions and authorities about this new transit system whose implementation will be gradual and in coordination with the municipal government.

Establishing the municipality's urban transit plan is expected to be completed within the first six months of 2016 with hopes that these improvements to the city's public transportation system will be implemented in the second half of the year.

The mayor said that since he took office he's been talking to the state governor about the need to improve all aspects of the city's public transportation to be consistent with the needs of this tourist destination. His goal is to provide a more efficient and safe service to residents and visitors, which can be achieved through this integrated transit system.