Passenger Alleges Bus Driver Requested Additional $20 Payment Before Crossing Into Mexico
A serious allegation made by a passenger has sparked public concern. María Elena Guzmán claimed that during a trip on a Tornado bus, the driver allegedly requested an additional $20 from each passenger, stating that the money would be given to members of the Mexican National Guard before crossing International Bridge No. 2.
Guzmán, a resident of the Lázaro Cárdenas neighborhood, said she was traveling from Austin, Texas, to Piedras Negras, Coahuila, when the driver of bus unit 6641 began requesting the extra payment shortly before reaching the international bridge.
According to her account, during a stop in San Marcos, Texas, several passengers were already commenting that it was “normal” to have the $20 ready to hand to the driver, who allegedly used the money to avoid delays or complications during inspections by authorities.
Guzmán said she had already paid $90 for her ticket and considered it unjustifiable to be asked for an additional payment without a receipt or any official explanation. She added that she had never experienced a similar situation while traveling with other bus companies and decided to report the incident to help prevent other passengers from being affected.
The passenger called on Tornado to investigate the conduct of its employee and urged federal authorities to determine whether this type of practice is actually occurring at border crossings.
It should be noted that, due to increased security operations along the Piedras Negras–Eagle Pass border, inspections of passenger buses have intensified in recent months to prevent the trafficking of drugs, weapons, and cash.
As of now, neither the Mexican National Guard nor Tornado has issued an official statement regarding the allegation. Therefore, the claims are based solely on the passenger’s testimony and remain subject to investigation by the appropriate authorities.
Source: mexicodailypost
