Havana/The owners of tricycles or electric motorbikes in Holguín are already receiving the first permits to be able to transport passengers as well as cargo. The measure, announced nine days ago, provides for this type of license for a period of three months. Overnight, these improvised transportation initiatives have become legal due to the unprecedented energy crisis. Until a few days ago, this type of activity was persecuted and severely punished.
“Before that experiment, if they caught us throwing away tickets, the fines were from 5,000 to 16,000 pesos and points for the license,” he comments indignantly to 14ymedio Yasmany Legon. “Asere“, with a load, even if you had a driver’s license, they would give you a fine and the police would lock your tricycle in a warehouse,” adds another of the drivers who was listening to the conversation riding on his Murasaki brand motorbike.
The imminent issuance of these temporary permits was announced online by the provincial director of Transportation of Holguín, René Rodríguez Morales, on February 18.
The procedure includes a census of all electric vehicles willing to transport cargo, passengers or both
The procedure includes a census of all electric vehicles willing to transport cargo, passengers or both. In addition, the means of transport must have a current technical inspection from the Automotive Technical Inspection Company (Erta) and the drivers must accredit a driving license in categories A in the case of electric motorcycles, A-1 in the case of mopeds or motorbikes, or B for tricycles dedicated to the transportation of passengers.
In the case of tricycle drivers who are owners of the vehicle and do not yet have a license plate, they may process their Transport operating license without any limitation, as long as they meet the established requirements.
According to Rodríguez’s publication, the authorized tricycles and motorbikes will be organized in the piqueras of each municipality, under the control of the Provincial Transportation Company, and the authorization will be issued and signed by the director or head of the Municipal Transportation Department.
As explained to this newspaper by a group of drivers who have already completed the procedure, the total cost of the process is around 2,500 pesos and it is not necessary to obtain a “patent.” In the case of the piquera the monthly price is around 300 pesos.
