By Wendy Anders

The Costa Rican-based business research media, CentralAmericaData.com released today 2015 data on Costa Rica’s vehicle fleet.

Automobiles comprise the largest percentage of Costa Rica’s vehicular fleet, comprising 63 percent of the country’s 1.3 million vehicles in circulation, compared to 1.5 percent corresponding to buses, which in 2015 numbered about 20,000.

Almost 20 percent of vehicles circulating are motorcycles, 13 percent are light-duty vehicles, and 3 percent heavy-duty vehicles.

More than a quarter of the automobiles tabulated in the study are 4-door sedans, and 4-door all-terrain vehicles account for about a fifth of all vehicles.

Toyota and Hyundai brands together make up 40 percent of the automobiles in circulation.

No one single brand dominates motorcycles circulating in Costa Rica.

Today was the first day of a stop-gap attempt by the central government to alleviate traffic jams that have become a serious problem throughout the Central Valley.

Carlos Alvarado, Labor Minister, said the 22 governmental institutions have set up new entry times for part or all of their staff, some of which come in at 6:30 am and others at 9:30 am. The measure took effect today.

It will take a few days to know whether the measure is effective in alleviating traffic congestion, said the minister. Speaking to Monumental Radio, Alvarado said he awaits decisions from the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE), a large employer, as well as the Education Ministry and the Public Security Ministry to see whether their administrative staffs will join the new plan.