The launch of the Transmed service opens new possibilities for facilitating the commute of healthcare sector personnel across all municipalities of the Cuban capital to their workplaces.

At a ceremony held at the central offices of the Workers' Transportation Company (Transmetro), attendees welcomed the new initiative, funded by the Public Transportation Development Fund. The service offers a mobility alternative for workers in this critical sector amid the country's challenging circumstances, further complicated by the fuel blockade imposed by the United States government, which restricts the entry of petroleum products into Cuba.

The fleet consists of 25 combustion-engine buses with a capacity of 28 passengers each, along with nine electric minibuses accommodating 13 passengers, operating along pre-established routes. The lines depart from outlying municipalities and connect more than 30 hospitals across Havana through dedicated corridors, culminating at the Príncipe circuit at 27th and G streets in the Vedado neighborhood, with both outbound and return service.

Transportation Minister Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila emphasized that, in a context of serious constraints on public transportation in general — aggravated by fuel shortages — prioritizing the healthcare sector carries special significance given its direct impact on the lives of the population. He noted that the initiative demonstrates the Cuban government's commitment to sustaining the most vital services despite existing limitations.

The minister added that these vehicles are also expected to provide supplementary transportation for the general public at the first stops along positioning routes and on the return legs to the bus depot, at a fare of 20 Cuban pesos.

Rodríguez Dávila noted that while the service will not initially meet all existing demand, it represents a meaningful step in supporting the essential work performed by healthcare workers on behalf of the Cuban people and in maintaining the vitality of the nation, particularly during these difficult times.

He further indicated that the initiative will be complemented by the distribution to other provinces of an additional 15 electric passenger minibuses and 34 electric cargo vans, all designated for a similar purpose and to be operated by provincial transportation companies under principles analogous to those governing Transmed.

"It is now up to everyone — both drivers and passengers — to maintain discipline so that this important service endures over time and serves as a model for what must continue to be done," the minister concluded.

The positive reception of the initiative was echoed by the workers themselves. Tania de la Caridad Pérez Rodríguez, a healthcare employee with more than 40 years of service at the Calixto García Hospital and a resident of La Lisa, noted that the new service greatly relieves the burden she and her colleagues had faced commuting to and from the hospital by their own means. "This makes it easier to arrive at work on time and also to leave, which had become very difficult given the transportation situation," she added.

The inauguration ceremony was also attended by Dr. Julio Guerra Izquierdo, Deputy Minister of Public Health, along with other authorities from the health sector and the companies responsible for transportation operations.