Standoff continues between bus owners and Zamora

No progress was reported Thursday in the impasse between bus owners and Cuenca Mayor Cristian Zamora. Bus companies continue to demand a fare increase while Zamora insists the city needs more time to determine a new rate schedule.

Bus owners of low-ridership routes parked their buses outside a Cuenca radio station on Wednesday morning. (El Mercurio)

For the third consecutive day, there was no bus service on some routes bus owners claim operate at a loss. The city has responded by providing transportation to stranded passengers with its fleet of buses and service vehicles.

The Cuenca Chamber of Transport insists that the municipal council approve a fare increase immediately. “We have been told for months that the council would address the issue, but the mayor creates one delay after another,” says Chamber President Diego Idrovo. “The rate studies were completed a year ago and we continue to wait.”

Zamora says the city is still analyzing a fare subsidy schedule for the elderly, students and the disabled, but has not completed its work.

Current bus fare, approved in 2018, is 30 cents with the city paying an additional four cents to bus owners to cover losses for the half-fare provided to vulnerable groups.

A University of Cuenca study recommends a new fare of between 44 and 47 cents, with the city subsidizing part of the cost.

Idrovo says the suspension of service on low-ridership routes is not a strike. “We are not shutting down the entire system, only the routes we cannot afford to maintain,” says Idrovo. “We have warned the municipality about this for months but now they seem surprised that we are finally forced to take action.”

Zamora repeated his threat Thursday morning to fine bus owners who refuse to operate their routes but offered no schedule when the fare increase question would be addressed by the municipal council. “If the owners continue with this action, we are going to file a complaint with the prosecutor’s office because this is a criminal offense,” the mayor said. “They must provide the service that was agreed in the 2018 contract.”

The city transportation office, EMOV, is providing transportation for the routes not covered by bus owners. Since Tuesday, the service begins at 7 p.m. at four transfer points: the Arenal Transfer Terminal to Sayausí, Huizhil and San Joaquín; Centenario to Control Sur, El Valle, Totoracocha and Baguanchi; 10 de Agosto Market to Racar and Miraflores; and Chola Cuencana, located in Manuel Vega and Sangurima, to Ochoa León and Challuabamba.

In addition, EMOV has extended tranvia operations to 11 p.m. at night.