Cancun, Q.R. — The city of Cancun is continuing public transportation testing with larger size hybrid buses. The city has been test-using 10 and 12 meters buses for its busy routes for the past several months.
According to the Quintana Roo Mobility Institute (Imoveqroo), the city is moving on to test larger hybrid units. Imoveqroo Director Rafael Hernández Kotasek, says Cancun will begin test-using 18 meter buses to transport city passengers.
The city’s latest pilot project has been running residents from the city center to the Cancun Hotel Zone. Hernández Kotasek says they will analyze if the larger electric unit is suitable for the city’s current infrastructure.
“We’re going to announce the 18-meter test. This will allow us to operate primarily in the hotel zone, including López Portillo Avenue and Tulum Avenue. We’ve already completed testing of the 10-meter and 12-meter hybrid units.
The objective now, he said, is to test different sized units. While a 10-meter unit was tested, the 12-meter unit was found to be the best suited to Cancun’s infrastructure. He said that in the case of the 18-meter unit, it will be tested on the city’s main busy avenues such as Tulum, Portillo and Kabah with runs into the hotel zone.
“What’s being done right now are these tests to see if the conditions and dimensions are ideal for any type of street as well as any time of the day, which is very important. A unit with all the city traffic at 7 a.m. is not the same as a unit at 11 a.m.
“What we’re planning after this is, once we determine with the dealers the optimal unit, is to place an order,” he said. “We are also going to begin operating diesel units. We’ll complete this testing phase in June and after that, we’ll analyze which units can offer the public transportation service best,” he explained.
Hernández Kotasek says testing with hybrid buses will continue not only in Cancun, but also in other cities such as Chetumal, to find the best mobility options. Hybrid bus testing for public transportation is expected to start in Chetumal in June.
