The provinces of Holguín and Las Tunas received this week four new buses from the Chinese brand Yutong each, units that will cover the route to Havana and are part of a batch of 20 buses acquired by the Ministry of Transport with funding from the Transport Development Fund.
In Holguín, the delivery took place on Wednesday at the José María Pérez Capote terminal. Eliécer González Aguilar, director of the Base Business Unit (UEB) National Buses in that province, reported that the vehicles will operate on the Holguín-Havana route with departures on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 8:00 PM, stated a report from the provincial broadcaster Radio Angulo.
Each bus has a capacity of 44 passengers, although only 42 seats will be sold; the remaining two are reserved for the drivers' rest during the journey.
In Las Tunas, the delivery took place on Friday with the presence of Osbel Lorenzo Rodríguez, the first secretary of the Provincial Committee of the Communist Party, who handed over the keys to experienced drivers.
Yosvani Cedeño Tomas, director of the UEB Ómnibus Nacionales de Las Tunas, emphasized that the new vehicles replace units that have been in operation for 10 years, as reported by the official news portal Tiempo 21.
"For now, the vehicles will cover the route from Las Tunas to Havana and vice versa, accommodating 42 passengers and offering plenty of comfort that includes mobile phone chargers at each seat, cameras, a television, and other amenities," Cedeño noted.
The executive also emphasized the efficiency of the new buses, as they consume half the fuel compared to the current units on long-distance routes.
"This is complemented by low oil consumption and a minimum five-year guarantee on spare parts," he added.
The addition of these eight units comes amid the worst interprovincial transportation crisis that Cuba has faced in years. By the end of 2025, only 219 out of 558 interprovincial buses were operational, barely 39% of the total fleet.
Since June, the Ministry of Transport has reduced the frequencies of Ómnibus Nacionales to three departures per week between Havana and the provincial capitals.
Las Tunas was one of the provinces most affected, as since February it had only been operating a nighttime service to the capital, after nearly all its routes were suspended due to a lack of fuel.
The Ministry of Transportation acknowledged at the beginning of August that its ticket assignment system, in place since June, created conditions for corruption, and announced the return of in-person sales through Viajero agencies.
The collapse of transport has structural roots. The national production of buses plummeted by 97.5% in seven years, from 473 units produced in 2019 to only 12 projected for 2026, according to data from economist Pedro Monreal.
Since 2005, more than 9,000 Yutong units have been operating in Cuba, making the island the leading international market for the Chinese company.
The shipment of 20 buses, along with 200 electric vehicles for hemodialysis services, arrived at the Mariel Special Development Zone in mid-May, and these deliveries in the eastern part of the country represent a temporary relief, albeit insufficient, given the scale of the accumulated deficit.
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