The minibuses arrived here over the weekend and according to the president of the Regional Union of Transport Cooperatives (Urecootraco), Danilo Sanchez, once in operation, Nicaraguans will pay the same state-subsidized fare of 2.50 córdobas (0.068 cents).

“So has been instructed by President Daniel Ortega and comrade Rosario (Murillo); the fare remains the same,” stressed Sanchez, who added that each of the new minibuses accommodates 19 passengers and will provide service in the municipalities of Granada, Masaya, Chinandega, León, Carazo and Nandaime.

Two weeks ago, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega allocated another fleet of 400 Chinese buses to cooperatives and carriers.

These new units, bought to commemorate the 73rd anniversary of the birth of Comandante Camilo Ortega, will facilitate commuting on inter-municipal routes and from Managua to the Caribbean Coast, Carazo and Granada.

The Latin American director of Yutong, Pedro Li, said at the time that his company is witnessing the development of public transportation in Nicaragua, adding that it represents a great honor and responsibility.

“Since last year we have been honored to be part of this ambitious plan of the Nicaraguan government to improve and modernize the public transportation system,” he said.

The coordinator of the Secretariat for Caribbean Coast Affairs, Lumberto Campbell, said the delivery of these units represents a historic event for this area of the country.

Campbell hailed the Sandinista government’s transport allocation for two Autonomous Regions of the Caribbean Coast and affirmed that by doing so, the authorities put an end to the traditional exclusion of 200 years of plundering by liberals and conservatives.

With the arrival of the new microbuses Nicaragua completes a fleet totaling 1,800 China-made transportation units.

ied/abo/jcm/ybv