Cubas transportation services

[R_P_A_S]

I been hearing from people, and brief news reports for about 6 months now that Cuba has a major Crisis with public transportation? what the hell is the problem?

[Karl Marx's Camel]

During the societal crisis in the 90's, Cuba experienced a massive transportation crisis, and the wounds of this period has even today never been fully healed.

If you've ever seen a camello, you will notice they are not only fully loaded but also extremely overcrowded. The camello was introduced to easen the transporation problems during the special period.

From what I have heard from Cubans, the transporation problem is one of the worst aspects of the special period, and that says a lot. The transportation crisis has made family life so much more difficult.
People often will have to wait for the bus for hours. It is never reliable and doesn't arrive on time.

Before the societal crisis (special period), Cubans could take the bus to the beach without much difficulties. Imagine that you will now have to wait for hours for a bus in 40 degrees, full of sweat, and when the bus finally arrives after two hours, it breaks down halfway and you will have to sit in an overcrowded bus with no air condition. Imagine you have a kid, and the kid is with you in that overcrowded, overhated and smelly bus with little oxygen.
So now, instead of simply taking the bus to the beach in the afternoon, a family might have to reserve a whole day just for this purpose.

That's my two cents..

http://blogforcuba.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/camello4.jpg

[RNK]

That's not ALL that different compared to most of the west's transportation systems. Here, during rush-hour, the wait is usually about 30-45 minutes; when the buses are extremely busy sometimes you can't even get on, forcing you to wait another 30-45 minutes. And that's the city. In rural towns they usually come every hour and again the same problem arises during peak periods. In highschool I had to take the public bus home. Much of the time I decided to walk rather than wait an hour for a cramped bus (though it usually took an hour to walk home).

[norwegian commie]

thanks RNK for bringing another shade in the debate.

Yes transportation is a problem. And drivers are demaded by law to pick up hitch-hikers.

Alsoe there are few busses and little gas. But as RNK said this is not only a problem in Cuba. And in Bolivia ive heard it is equally difficult to get transportation. And there people dont bother with hitch hikers.

[UndergroundConnexion]

When I was there I heard and seen that the Cuban state buys old busses from holland.

[Karl Marx's Camel]

I've noticed that too.

[CheRev]

Good point RNK.

Go to most third world country (or even some first world countries) and the public transportation is as bad, if not worse than Cuba's. And these are countries following the 'capitalist path' and working under a 'democratic' system.

Cubas transportation problems can't be blamed on communism or on the Cuban system. They have limited resources because of the embargo and in many ways have been quite inventive in their methods of transportation e.g. the camello NWOG posted a picture of. I have travelled on one of the long distance buses in Cuba (a local one, not a tourist one) and it was very comfortable and modern (the roads are another kettle of fish!), these are news buses so they are clearly starting to improve their current situation.

[Janus]

what the hell is the problem?
Well, petroleum is one major factor.

Urban transportation in Cuba (http://lanic.utexas.edu/la/cb/cuba/asce/cuba4/garcia.html)