Chetumal, Q.R. — After more than a decade without a public bus system, the city of Chetumal has started a pilot program. Authorities are working to build a modern and efficient public transportation system for the city with testing.
To address a historic shortcoming and resolve a long-standing public demand, Governor Mara Lezama led the presentation Monday along with Imoveqroo General Manager Rafael Hernández Kotasek.
Hernández Kotasek said the Strategic Mobility Plan project marks a historic step in Chetumal toward more dignified, efficient and inclusive mobility service for the capital city.
He explained that the mobility project will include testing units in different areas of Chetumal to evaluate distances, schedules, number of units, performance, etc. “It is a plan that will integrate different forms of transportation and will also provide many more options for all the citizens of our capital so they can move freely and choose the one that best suits their needs.”
The first phase of the plan, he said, consists of a public consultation during which 30 citizen participation mailboxes, 10 working groups and a specialized mobility forum will be set up over the course of a month.
Hernández Kotasek said that a detailed assessment of the real mobility needs of the city has been carried out in recent months and that the Strategic Mobility Plan for Chetumal is comprised of four stages, starting with public consultation on July 1st.
“Governor Mara Lezama has clearly instructed us: we must transform public transportation so that it serves the people not private interests, and that begins with listening, with a supportive government that builds with the people,” he added.
In recent months, the Mobility Institute of Quintana Roo (Imoveqroo) has held meetings with the State Congress, the Mobility Commission, the mayor of Othón P. Blanco, the general secretary of SUCHAA, and other stakeholders in the transportation sector.
The goal, according to Hernández Kotasek, is to develop a comprehensive project with a long-term vision and legal certainty for service providers, ensuring lasting benefits for citizens.
The head of the Instituto de Movilidad del Estado de Quintana Roo (Imoveqroo) stated that bus testing is about to begin in different areas of Chetumal to evaluate three key aspects: road infrastructure conditions, dimensions suitable for the city of Chetumal and operational performance and efficiency.
The new system seeks to address the root causes of the main problems faced by users, such as long wait times, outdated routes, lack of connectivity between neighborhoods, and high fares due to a lack of service.
Every detail is being carefully considered to ensure that the units arriving are safe, comfortable, accessible, and in keeping with the urban context of the state capital.
The city of Chetumal has been without public transport for more than a decade. It is the only capital city in the country that does not have an urban bus system.
