Nova Scotia Cuba Association

 

Electric tricycles are incorporated to the transport of passengers in Moa, Cuba.

The city of Moa is using 25 electric tricycles to transport passengers.

 German Veloz Placencia, german@fgranma.cu

 According to Tahimi Arebol Matos, mechanical engineer working with the department of Transportation, the city of Moa (province of Holguin) has recently incorporated 25 electric tricycles to its public transportation service. Tricycles are part of “Ecomovilidad” a development project playing a role in transporting people within the urban center that diminishes environmental contamination and favors relevant changes in the electric grid that gradually reduce the use of fossil fuels.

 These tricycles are able to carry up to four passengers and were acquired by local government at a cost of 71 thousand pesos per unit (close to four thousand CAN dollars), costs were covered with monies provided by provincial businesses and entities. The tricycles depart from downtown Moa, explains Ms. Arebol, and take a variety of routes reaching most city neighborhoods and providing a useful, needed service at an affordable price. It costs five pesos per passenger to ride, an amount understood by Cubans as very affordable. In the past Cubans have complained about abusive pricing practices by motorcycles owners offering a similar service.

 Tricyles are rented by drivers under contract with government, paying a daily rent of 125 pesos to the estate, which a five pesos per passenger and four passengers per ride mean each ride brings 20 pesos. Anything above rent becomes earning for drivers. The contract signed can be void by price violations, or by mistreatment or other forms of abuse to the public.  During this pilot stage drivers had agreed to charge batteries at home but this will change in the near future as a base is to be built within estate facilities to charge electric batteries there, and the energy will be provided by a solar panel system that will be located in areas of the department of transportation. The solar panel phase is currently being negotiated with appropriate professionals. Ecomovilidad will also include appropriate and ongoing follow up, checking its effectiveness as well as its impact. Local government plans to expand this project and to this end it will acquire more tricycles in the future.