Bicycle rental impossible for CUJAE students: 500 pesos per day

Bicycle rental, implemented by the General Directorate of Transportation in Havana, is impossible for students at the José Antonio Echeverría Technological University (CUJAE), since its cost is 500 pesos per day, more than what students receive in hismonthly stipend.

For a student who only has the monthly payment (200 to 400 pesos) it is not an option to rent the bicycles available at the CUJAE cycle station and that the government promotes as an alternative to "moderate price", since an hour of travel is equivalent to 100 Cuban pesos, and the entire day is equivalent to 500, according to a note from the official media.Rebel Youth.

Alejandro Martínez Carvajal and Yeisson Rodríguez Fuentes, Civil Engineering students at that university, told that press outlet that "at some point" they will be able to rent the service, but it will not be regularly, due to the high cost.

José Luis Gutiérrez, sales specialist at the CUJAE cycle station, explained that they are already analyzing a readjustment in rates for students and will soon have to implement a "logical discount," the note stated.

Although some clients claim that transportation is very bad, "taking a bus to get to work or home early is exhausting and frustrating," and the cycle station is an affordable option, the price is exorbitant for a country with an incredibly low minimum wage. low and in the midst of unstoppable inflation.

As Gutiérrez explained to the media, there are clients who recommend evaluating the prices again and others find them "accessible." "In general, the public has seen the service favorably," he insisted.

The man argued that in the first days there was a relative sale and this Saturday was the day with the greatest influx of people, since the service was offered from that day until Monday morning for a cost of 500 pesos.

“There are days when, on average, at this cycle station (Cujae) we have had sales of 15 bicycles, because the service that customers request the most is for daily use (24 hours) and they use the bicycles to go to other municipalities, for work. work or also recreational,” he explained.

Despite the insistent promotion of the official press, a worker who receives theminimum wage, 2,100 CUP, I would spend the amount in four days if I had to resort to that means as an alternative to get around; Others, even if they earn more, would not be able to rent bicycles more than a few times a month.

"Five hundred times 24 (which are the normal working days of the month) is equal to 12,000 pesos, almost four times my monthly salary. Almost a sixth of it leaves in a single day. If my children decided to use that service to get to and from school, it would be 36,000 pesos. If the salary is not enough, imagine the stipend for the students," said a Cuban in the comments to the note reproduced inCubadebate.

The service is included within the Neomovilidad Habana project, which promotes the use of this vehicle as an alternative and sustainable means of transportation, which helps reduce carbon emissions in urban transportation.

Initially it was indicated that they would begin at two stations (CUJAE and Reloj Club), before expanding to a total of six cycle stations, located in the areas of Reloj Club, CUJAE, Abel Santamaría, Wajay and Fontanar, with 300 bicycles available.

Neomovilidad Habana is financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and is also in charge of other services, such as electric tricycles in Boyeros.

The bicycles have a "modern location chip" inside to be able to locate them in case of loss, he said.Rebel Youth.

After being returned, the people at the cycle station subject them to a complete inspection to check their condition.

Alexei Sorín, sales specialist, also added that there will be an extra charge for customers who return the bicycle outside the established time.