He Urban passenger transport in Bariloche circulates from today with reduced frequenciessimilar to Sundays, due to a chain of economic inconveniences that affect the provision of the service.
Mayor Walter Cortés expressed his concern about transportation and its Chief of Staff, Héctor Leguizamón Pondalillustrated the critical situation by announcing that Province owes transfers of national subsidies and its counterpart since Octoberaccumulating a debt of more than 200 million pesos.
According to the agreement of the Ministry of Transportation of the Nation, the subsidy has a counterpart for the same amount paid by the provincial government, to a ratio of 67 million pesos between both jurisdictions each month. Since last week, the new municipal management has been processing the payment of the amount owed that the municipality provided to avoid the stoppage of the service by Mi Bus.
Added to this scenario is now the uncertainty regarding the continuity of national subsidies. “There is an announcement that as of January 1 national subsidies will be cut but we do not know the extent of that cut“said the Chief of Staff.
In parallel, the municipality has inconveniences to obtain the Infinia Diesel fuel quota which contributes to the company Mi Bus monthly, as part of a subsidy agreement signed by Gustavo Gennuso’s management. Today The reserve is scarce – it would cover the demand for two days – and if delivery cannot be unblocked, the transportation panorama could be more dramatic.
“There is an emergency situation“, said Leguizamón Pondal and announced that starting today a reduced frequency scheme is being implemented, but “without interrupting the service.”
Urban transport consumes about 7,200 liters of fuel per day with about 70 buses in operation.
the companyMy Bus has 90 units in Bariloche but some are stopped due to breakages and lack of spare parts. Leguizamón Pondal said that in some cases units were dismantled to obtain spare parts and be able to put other urban service groups into operation.
Leguizamón Pondal insisted that transportation is a priority for the Government because it is “an essential service.”
Meanwhile, Mayor Cortés once again mentioned the idea of “freeing up transportation” if complications increase and also said that he held meetings with taxi drivers and taxi drivers to create the local mobility application that he announced before taking office.
Today the ticket costs 200 pesos in Bariloche, with a flat rate except for the tourist lines to Cerro Catedral and the airport. The previous mayor left a staggered increase in three sections that would continue with a new increase starting January 1, when it will cost 270 pesos, and another increase on February 1 that will reach 320 pesos. For now, there have been no announcements from Cortés contrary to these planned increases.