Tram will require nine months of training and testing before it goes operational

Cuenca’s transportation director says the city’s tranvia system will require nine months to train personnel and to test tramway and computer systems before it offers service to the public. According to Jaime Guzmán, most of the preparation work will be conducted as project construction is completed.

Tram cars in the rail yard on Av Unidad Nacional.

Guzmán said the city hopes to name a tram operations company by the end of the month to conduct the prep work. Two companies, one from Medellin, Colomibia and the other from the Spanish Canary Islands, are negotiating with the city for the project.

“The preparation work is an essential part of a successful operation,” Guzmán says. “Tram operators must be trained to international professional standards. We must also ensure the physical integrity of the system, which includes the rolling stock, track and switches, and make sure the computer system is fully functional.”

Guzmán says that 40 conductors will be trained during the preparation phase.

Mayor Marcelo Cabrera reported Monday that a technical committee has completed its review of the project management contract to be signed next week with the French consortium ACTN.