Yucatán’s Va y Ven Transport System Faces Financial Crisis

Mérida, Yucatán — The Va y Ven public transportation system, one of the flagship projects of the previous PAN-led administration under former Governor Mauricio Vila Dosal, is "financially unsustainable," according to Jacinto Sosa Novelo, director of the Yucatán Transportation Agency (ATY). In a report delivered to the State Congress, Sosa Novelo revealed that the system faces a financial shortfall of 1,215 million pesos, with millions paid for kilometers not traveled, resulting in excessive costs.

A System in Crisis

Sosa Novelo stated that the Va y Ven system, which continues to incur significant expenses, operates under a flawed financial model. "We will not allow the cost of irresponsibility, political haste, and improvisation to keep being paid by working families," he declared. "We will prioritize the interests of the people of Yucatán and build a transportation system that is truly fair, efficient, and humane."

He expressed confidence that Governor Joaquín Díaz Mena and Yucatán’s residents would recognize the urgency of addressing these challenges.

Ie-Tram Subsistema in the Red

The Ie-Tram electric bus subsystem, operating on five routes, is also struggling financially. Sosa Novelo criticized its initial planning, stating, "From the beginning, the financial aspects were not properly structured. Capricious decisions—from the imposed vehicle specifications to the unnecessary infrastructure—created serious operational risks."

He noted that the abrupt increase in buses added to the Va y Ven system, without proper mobility studies, led to a critical financial situation. Projections for 2025 estimate ATY revenues at 1,321 million pesos against expenses exceeding 3,179 million pesos, leaving a deficit of nearly 1,860 million pesos.

Excessive Costs and Questionable Contracts

Among the most alarming findings:

• A fleet management and revenue collection system, contracted at 228 million pesos, remains non-functional, with future annual payments exceeding 200 million pesos.
• Over 385,000 blue transit cards purchased in 2024 became obsolete due to a payment system change, resulting in a 30-million-peso loss.
• The northern Cetram terminal requires annual rent payments of 22.2 million pesos for 15 years—totaling 333 million pesos—potentially making it "the most expensive public transport terminal in Latin America."

Political Reactions

PAN lawmakers accused Sosa Novelo of lacking the technical expertise to manage the agency and suggested his report was a pretext for fare hikes. Roger Torres Peniche, PAN caucus coordinator, dismissed the findings as politically motivated, stating, "They want to justify raising fares without offering real improvements."

In contrast, Morena legislators supported the report. Alejandro Cuevas Mena emphasized that PAN lawmakers did not dispute the financial figures, calling the system a "shameless million-dollar business" benefiting a select few. His colleague Clara Paola Rosales Montiel added, "We are outraged by this harsh truth, but we will not raise fares."

Urgent Reforms Needed

Sosa Novelo warned that without corrective measures, the system would require over 11,100 million pesos in state subsidies over the next six years—funds that could otherwise build 24 hospitals, 760 schools, or 12,000 kilometers of rural roads.

"The financial model we inherited protects certain operators with guaranteed multimillion-peso incomes while leaving the system vulnerable," he said. "We must act responsibly to ensure long-term viability."

The debate over Va y Ven’s future underscores deep divisions in Yucatán’s transportation policy, with financial accountability and public service at the center of the dispute.