The taxi service Gazelle, from the company Taxis Cuba, has run out of vehicles to operate in the Cuban capital due to a lack of fuel, as reported by the company itself on social media this Friday.
On its page on Facebook, "Rutas en Tiempo Real" reported on the situation and warned that the Gazelles have not been refueled.
"Currently, none of them are operational. The few that are operational are insufficient to meet our needs," they stated.
According to their clarification, there is no fuel available for this type of vehicle. They also apologized for the "inconveniences."
"We understand how important this service is for our community and we are working hard to resolve this situation as soon as possible," they added.
The Gazelles microbus service - known as the "gazelles" - in Havana, comprising 435 vehicles across 23 routes, is facing serious challenges, as fewer than 200 are operational, which represents over 60 percent of the fleet.
In December of last year, the Ministry of Transportation of Cuba explained that the shortage of fuel was affecting the operation of vehicles, as the 9,800 liters of diesel allocated daily were insufficient to meet the demand.
The lack of parts, technical issues, and social indiscipline exacerbate the situation. Out of the 23 routes, 14 are characterized as the most complex, taking into account the indicators: poor condition of the roads: 17, 6, 9, 8, 11, and 23; and social indiscipline among passengers, primarily students: 17, 13, 20, 4, 5, 24, 14, 3, and 16; among other indicators.
According to the Minister of Transportation, the main issues with the service are: technical breakdowns at the workshop and unexpected situations due to a lack of parts, components, and accessories; a shortage of fuel for the entire fleet, and the fuel that is allocated is insufficient for the longer routes, which range from 24 to 26 kilometers, affecting the last trips.
In the midst of this situation, the Metrotaxis subsidiary of Taxis Cuba has implemented several measures, such as redistributing fuel, extending supply hours, improving route controls, and penalizing service violations. However, it is not enough.
Filed under: