As they warned, due to the lack of payment of their salaries, around 50 employees of the Metropolitan Circuit’s Va y Ven bus route have stopped working in protest and demanded payment of their outstanding debts.
This Saturday, Mérida woke up to find the Va y Ven buses for the Metropolitan Circuit route “on lockdown.” Their buses are parked and out of service behind the Hacienda Inn hotel.
The Va y Ven system informs users that the internal and external routes of the Metropolitan Circuit are not in service because all buses have been removed from the service.
At the moment, the impact is incalculable, but it is a fact that as the hours pass, hundreds of users will have to find alternative ways to get to work.
The strike on the Metropolitan Circuit is expected to primarily affect workers, since, as it is a Saturday, few students use the service to get to school.
Otherwise, the rest of the bus system’s routes are operating normally.
Around Plaza Fiesta, where the Circuito Poniente-Universidades, Cholul, and San Lucas routes converge, buses are running smoothly, with few passengers waiting at bus stops or on board.
However, reports on social media claim that in addition to the Circuito Metropolitano Exterior and Interior, the following routes could be affected by the strike.
It has been reported that the company has offered to cover the outstanding wages for all of them on October 6.
Circuito Metropolitano routes in Mérida are out of service
Below is a screenshot of the Va y Ven system app showing that, at 6:00 a.m., Circuito Metropolitano Interior has no buses operating.
The Circuito Metropolitano route was not only the first to operate within the city of Mérida; With the exception of the Peripheral route, it is the longest in the Va-y-Ven route network in the Yucatan capital.
A bus on this route can take between 3 and 4 hours to complete the circuit.
In response to reports of disruptions to the Metropolitan Circuit route of the Va-y-Ven Transportation System, the Yucatán Transportation Agency (ATY) reports that:
The corresponding payment to the operating company was made last Wednesday, October 1.
Due to an operational load on the bank’s system, the bank reports that the funds will not be reflected until Monday, October 6, which has caused service disruptions.
In response to this situation, the ATY activated the Emergency Transportation Operation this morning with the support of 20 conventional buses and 20 vans to guarantee the mobility of Yucatecans. All of them are duly identified with an official ATY badge.
During this operation, fares will be paid in cash, with a general fare of 10 pesos and a social fare of 5 pesos, which will apply only while the emergency measure is in effect.
Metropolitan, providing service on the same routes, stops, and schedules as usual to maintain coverage and reduce disruptions to users.
It is important to emphasize that these measures are temporary and emergency in nature and will be in effect until normal operation of the Va-y-Ven service is restored.
This is intended to maintain mobility and guarantee the continuity of public transportation in Yucatán.
“The ATY reiterates its commitment to users and continues working to overcome the complex financial situation facing the system, making significant efforts to ensure the continuity of service for the benefit of the public.”
Circuito Metropolitano Route Strike to Continue Until October 6
Following a meeting this afternoon with the director of the ATY, Jacinto Sosa Novelo, the Circuito Metropolitano operators announced that they will continue their work stoppage in protest of the delay in their salary payments.
They confirmed that their pay will continue until next Monday, October 6, due to a problem with the bank.
Source: yucatan
