Starting in April, the streets of downtown Buenos Aires will see the circulation of the future electric bus line, a transportation system that will not only improve mobility, but also have no environmental impact.
According to the authorities of transportation in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires (CABA), the first units acquired by the City are ready; they have been packaged and are currently on their way – by ship – from the factory in China. Their destination is the port of Zárate, in the province of Buenos Aires.
Of course, once they arrive in Argentina, the new “minibuses” will need to undergo certain adjustments that will be carried out at the Agrale industrial plant.
After this stage is completed, the testing and approval process will be conducted by technicians from the National Institute of Industrial Technology (INTI).
Once they pass these checks, the units will start circulating in a part of the City. It is estimated that over the course of a year, they will transport around 500 passengers, including locals and tourists.
Furthermore, this initiative will allow for the restoration of connectivity to the Microcentro and Historic Center, which were left without transportation when the lines that ran through there were relocated to the Metrobus 9 de Julio and the one in El Bajo (Leandro N. Alem-Paseo Colón).
Characteristics of the new electric bus system
This new electric transportation system will have a particularity: all of its drivers will be women.
In fact, the company DOTA, responsible for the daily operation of this downtown line, has already begun a Human Resources campaign dedicated to selecting, training, and hiring future female drivers.
In this regard, women interested in applying for this position should send their resumes to [email protected].
The new vehicles will have a capacity of 16 seated passengers and the same number standing. They will be relatively slow: coming with a factory limitation, their speed will be around 20 km/h.
With these features, the “autonomy” of their electric batteries allows for about 170 kilometers of travel before returning to the base to recharge.
New service route
Residents and tourists will be able to travel in an electric minibus through various streets ranging from Retiro to Parque Lezama, crossing the Historic Center and downtown Buenos Aires. They will do so in a sustainable and comfortable means of transportation, as assured by transportation authorities. Moreover, it will be economical, at least during the initial months of service, as the fare will be free.
The initial planned route covers a circuit of over 12 kilometers with 36 stops. As stated by Pablo Bereciartua, Minister of Mobility and Infrastructure of the City, “They are buses with zero pollutant emissions and will allow us to improve the frequency of public service.”
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