Humberto “Coco” Ledesma, community leader of San Clemente, spoke about the serious transportation crisis that affects the community, derived from the suspension of the intercity transportation service by the Pájaro Blanco company. The situation has generated a significant impact on the mobility of inhabitants, mainly among students and workers.
The community of San Clemente is without transportation. Since April 17, The Pájaro Blanco company stopped operating on the route that connects Alta Gracia with San Clemente. «They told us a few days before that they were going to suspend the service, and they did. “They have stopped providing a service that had been operating for years,” he explained. Ledesma.
This suspension of service It has affected workers and especially students who attend secondary school Garay Paddock, who depended on transportation to attend classes. «The boys traveled in the morning and returned in the afternoon. Now, the community is without travel options, with many residents who traveled to Potrero de Garay or Alta Gracia by bus,” said the community leader.
The measure caused discomfort among the inhabitants, and especially the communal chief.who He confessed to being “very upset” for the way in which this decision was carried out: “The ideal would have been for the company or company officials to have called a meeting with Transportation and the community, explained the problem and sought a solution, but They directly cut off the service”.
Government efforts and responses
In this situation, The commune has presented notes and held meetings with the ministries of Transportation, Education and Government. «We have exposed our situation and we are in negotiations, but so far there is no concrete solution. They tell us that The transportation crisis is widespread in Córdoba and throughout the country, due to the removal of national and provincial subsidies“he commented Ledesma.
According to him, the government of Córdoba responded to the commune that this type of decision to leave different locations without transportation service is based on the fact that Transport companies, through the Federation of Automotive Transport Entrepreneurs (FETAP), see some sections as “unprofitable”.
The removal of transport subsidies at the national level spirals and aggravates this situation, which is widespread in different localities in the interior. Companies, not having the support that subsidies provided, choose to suspend the least profitable sections, isolating localities..
“San Clemente is not profitable; I know that other towns in the province are not either. The companies go along the routes where people flow and leave the sections that do not suit them, ignoring the law that defends the citizen. “They left us without transportation,” he emphasized. Ledesma.
Precarious alternatives
Until now, The commune has tried to maintain a minimum service with its own vehicle, although in a very precarious way. An old Iveco combi is intended to provide mobility to students and neighbors on days when transport is out of service.
The government of Córdoba would have suggested the purchase of a used minibus: “The government tells me that they do not have transportation. I asked them for a combi or minibus to give us, but they don’t have it and we have to find another way. They meet with the transportation companies and ask them if they have any small transportation to give to the community or to make the trip themselves. “They are not going to do it because the cost is high, nor give it up because they do not have it.”
The only solution is through the purchase of a vehicle used that the commune estimates around 35 million pesos. However, Ledesma specified that “We are not receiving any government contributions”and “Our commune is not in a position to assume this expense without government help”.
Responsibility and calls to action
Ledesma emphasized government responsibility In this situation: “The responsibility for all this lies with the government.because the company stopped operating, another alternative could have been sought.”
«I am in daily communication with government officials. If we cannot move forward, we will have to escalate the situation to the governor, because we are in a really complicated situation“he concluded Ledesmahighlighting the urgency of finding a viable solution for the San Clemente community.
