The government of Belgium gave Cuba a donation of 29 buses, most of which will be used to reinforce public transport in Havanawhile the rest will serve for other purposes of the institutions of the culture sector, review official media.
points out a report of the Cuban News Agency (ACN) that the 20 vehicles —10 rigid and 10 articulated buses— donated to the Havana Provincial Transport Company, will go to the Mulgoba terminal to join routes P12, P13 and P16, which run through the Boyeros corridor, one of the increased demand in the capital.
According to Lauger Medina Suárez, director of Transportation Planning of the General Directorate of Provincial Transportation of Havana, the 20 buses could benefit more than 32,000 people daily, thanks to the capacity of the vehicles that can transport 160 passengers, in the case of the articulated ones and 100 the rigid ones, with an average of 10 to 12 trips every day.
Today, 29 buses from Belgium are being unloaded as a donation, to support the urban transportation service in the capital. Of the 29 teams, 10 belong to the Ministry of Culture and the rest, to #TransportHavana#Havana#Cuba ?? pic.twitter.com/KxeRulFFhQ
— Provincial Transport Company of Havana (@EmpresaProvinc9) June 24, 2022
The 29 buses that arrived in Cuba by sea are second-hand, with a time of exploitation between five and eight years, explained the director, who pointed out that the cars will be subjected to technical tests and will have some adaptations for their correct operation in the environment. habanero before starting to roll through the streets of the capital.
At this time, the Provincial Transport Company only has 50% of the buses in operation, the published note specifies, due to the impossibility of acquiring parts and spare parts, although coordination is being carried out with the Mercedes Benz company, with the purpose of guaranteeing future maintenance actions.
In this difficult context, Jean-Jacques Bastien, Belgian ambassador to Cuba, highlighted during the delivery of the vehicles his government’s desire that this contribution from the city of Brussels help alleviate the effects of public transport that the Island is experiencing in the today and Havana in particular.
The Cuban capital crosses the worst public transport crisis of the decadewith less than 500 vehicles available to transport more than half a million people daily, reported former industry authorities.
