Starting this Tuesday, June 13, the Chilean Ministry of Transport will carry out an initiative to obtain feedback from civil society, with the aim of modernizing the transportation system and accelerating the transition to electromobility.
The government portfolio announced the details of the process to promote electric mobility, specifically in the capital of the Atacama region and to modernize services in the Caldera and Vallenar sectors.
The ministry estimates incorporating an estimated minimum fleet of 100 electric buses with two charging centers and 12 initial routes.
The high standard buses will have USB chargers, segregated driver’s cab, automatic transmission, low entry, air conditioning, among other features.
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Initiative Details
The Chilean Minister of Transport, Juan Carlos Muñoz, explained that in the specific case of the Copiapó region, the electric buses will be concentrated in this city, which is where they have a larger fleet and where the construction of the two electroterminals is beginning to be better justified.
The Minister of Transportation met with the Governor, Miguel Vargas, with whom he signed an agreement to provide funding to the Regional Public Transport Division (DTPR) and implement with their support, a public transport system in Caldera and Vallenar.
With respect to Caldera, the minister detailed that a citizen participation is currently concluding, which allowed them to define which services are needed.
“We are thinking in the order of seven services, approximately what is going to mean a float of approximately 12 high standard buses, which not only can have air conditioning, wifi, usb, but can also allow us through GPS that people can occupy an application to be able to know where the bus is coming”.
Other advances achieved in the region include the inauguration of two new school transport services for children and adolescents living in isolated areas of the commune.
Likewise, the results of the citizen consultation were presented in order to raise the needs of the community and integrate them into the work plans related to the future public transportation system in the area.
The school transportation subsidy will benefit students residing in the Borde Costero Norte and Borde Costero Sur sectors of the Caldera commune, a benefit that will allow them to reach their study centers safely and free of charge.
