Fleet of 400 golf carts authorized for public transportation in Tulum

The authorities legislature successful Quintana Roo has taken a large measurement guardant connected last year’s proposal to authorize 400 play carts for usage arsenic nationalist proscription successful Tulum — a determination that has sparked divided opinions among concern owners, residents and taxi unions.

The state’s Mobility Commission past week granted play cart concessions to 4 backstage companies. The low-speed vehicles volition run successful assorted areas, including downtown Tulum, Jaguar Park and the coastal zone.

Golf carts volition soon beryllium a caller mode to get astir successful downtown Tulum

The approved companies volition beryllium capable to statesman providing play carts arsenic soon arsenic the decree is published successful the Official Periodical of Quintana Roo, the legislature ruling states.

According to the decree, the permits were granted to Roasteryc of Guadalajara (168 units), the Metromobility Group of Cancún (112), Inmomercaqroo of  Cancún (90) and CMX Logistic Center of Mexico City (30).

Some of the play carts — which tin spot a maximum of six people  — volition beryllium operated by a institution driver, but others volition beryllium for the nationalist to rent and thrust themselves. Fares oregon rental costs person yet to beryllium publicized.

The carts can’t beryllium older than 5 years and person to conscionable information and biology standards whether moving connected gasoline, energy oregon arsenic a hybrid.

The program for play carts was enactment guardant successful ample portion owed to Tulum’s explosive maturation arsenic some a tourer destination and a spot to live. (Mara Lezama vía X)

Currently, a strategy of combis and colectivos (minibuses and vans) operates wrong the Tulum municipality, but mostly extracurricular of the downtown. “There is nary capable work successful the halfway of town, truthful tourists, especially, person to question by taxi,” the online quality outlet Novedades Quintana Roo wrote past year.

Legally, Uber is an enactment successful the state, but tensions with taxi unions person rendered work spotty and possibly risky successful Tulum.

The program for play carts was enactment guardant past twelvemonth by the Mobility Institute of Quintana Roo (Imoveqroo) successful ample portion owed to Tulum’s explosive maturation arsenic some a tourer destination and a spot to live.

In the aboriginal 2010s, Tulum was comparatively underdeveloped compared to adjacent Cancún oregon Playa del Carmen. However, by 2020, the portion was receiving implicit 2 cardinal tourists annually, up from hundreds of thousands successful erstwhile years. The opening of the caller Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport successful precocious 2023 is bringing successful adjacent much visitors.

The play cart proscription program successful Tulum has faced resistance, however, peculiarly from the Tiburones del Caribe taxi union.

Union members reason that the play carts bash not adhere to the aforesaid regulatory and fare conditions arsenic taxis, putting accepted drivers astatine a disadvantage. Some besides assertion that the influx of play carts volition exacerbate existing congestion connected Tulum’s main avenues, which already accommodate bicycles, motorcycles, nationalist vans and cargo trucks.

With reports from La Jornada Maya, Reforma, La Silla Rota and Riviera Maya News