Debate: Va y Ven Buses Are Wonderful, and in the Red
A political debate over public transportation in Mérida is a personal issue for Charlie Lopez, who says the modern Va y Ven buses have been life-changing.
Jacinto Sosa Novelo, director of the Yucatan Transportation Agency (ATY), called the system “financially unviable” and runs at a 1.86 billion peso deficit. He blamed the previous administration for “improvised decisions” that led to structural failures and unnecessary technological expenditures.
“From the beginning, the financial aspects were not well-planned,” Sosa Novelo said.
In response, Charlie Lopez, a daily passenger with motor disabilities, defended the Va y Ven program, arguing that such finance-centered criticism overlooks the purpose of public transportation.
“It’s not a mistake, it’s the logic of modern public transport,” Lopez countered. “No urban system in the world operates on total self-financing. Because it’s not a business, it’s a public service.”
Comparing public transportation to a business is fundamentally flawed, likening it to “asking a public hospital to make a profit,” he said. For Lopez and many users with disabilities, the system transformed mobility in Mérida, providing accessible transportation where previously there were only expensive private options.
Va y Ven Buses in the news
A high-profile part of the Va y Ven system, the IE-Tram electric buses reportedly cost 160 million pesos while generating only 19 million in revenue. But Lopez argued on his social media channels that electromobility represents a long-term investment in air quality and reduced car dependency that shouldn’t be evaluated after just one year of operation.
The political dimension of this debate became apparent when PAN Representative Álvaro Cetina Puerto, also the party’s state president, suggested that the current administration is preparing to increase transportation fares.
“The head of the Transportation Agency came to Congress not to render accounts, but to rehearse justifications,” Cetina stated. “He didn’t announce the fare increase, but every word, every piece of information, every evasion, and every pretext points in one direction: they want to raise the price of public transportation.”
Va y Ven Politics
While Morena deputies described the system’s financial situation as exposing a “vile business, a robbery,” PAN representatives argued that the administration merely sought justification for fare increases.
For users like Lopez, the concern goes beyond political rivalries. “I don’t idealize the Va y Ven. I’ve also pointed out failures, reported poorly attended routes, and demanded improvements. But I don’t accept the attack of a public policy whose benefit I’ve seen and lived just because it wasn’t promoted by those who govern today.”
Lopez warned that the current narrative is dangerous, as it “implies that accessibility is a luxury, that technology is a waste, that modernity was improvised.”
As the debate continues, the fundamental question remains whether public transportation should be evaluated primarily as a financial venture or as an essential public service that requires government subsidy to ensure accessibility for all citizens.
In the United States, public transportation systems with high ridership require government aid. New York’s MTA, Chicago’s CTA, and San Francisco’s BART all receive substantial public funding — at least for now. These subsidies reflect a public policy choice to support mobility, reduce traffic congestion, lower emissions, and provide access for those without cars. For Lopez, the service is critical.
“Accessibility is not a luxury. It’s not an unnecessary expense,” Lopez said on social media. “It’s a right. And defending it is a must.”
Va y Ven’s origins
The Va y Ven system was inaugurated on Nov. 27, 2021, replacing the previous Integral Urban Transport System (SITUR). It marked a significant improvement from previous transportation options.
By January 2023, the system had fully replaced its predecessor and has since expanded to include multiple circuits throughout the city. Gov. Mauricio Vila Dosal introduced new routes in July 2023. Key innovations include air conditioning, bicycle racks, wheelchair accessibility, nighttime routes, and a dedicated smartphone app for tracking buses.
Lee Steele is the founding director of Mérida-based Roof Cat Media S de RL de CV and has published Yucatán Magazine and other titles since 2012. He was Hearst Connecticut’s Sunday Magazine creative director and worked in New York City for various magazine publishers, including Condé Nast and Primedia, for over 20 years.
