Luis González: “We’re not satisfied with Fuerteventura’s transport situation, so we keep working.”

The Transport Council of the Cabildo of Fuerteventura is launching strategic actions to mitigate the service deficit after the contract, awarded without tender for more than 40 years, expired at the end of last year. A new tender is expected soon, although the councilor prefers not to set a date, confident it will be announced well before mid‑next year. González also addressed the VTR licences, suspended for another year, and the Antigua Sports City project, which he says will be in the procurement stage before the end of the year.

“We’re not happy with the situation that exists right now in transport. It’s very improvable, we’re not satisfied and that’s why we keep working.”

Contract expiration and interim measures

• The 40‑year direct award contract ended in December 2024, after two extensions.
• Because the service is essential, it continues under a continuity resolution, which limits the ability to make major changes.
• While the new tender (currently in the final reporting phase) is prepared, the Cabildo is carrying out urgent actions to prevent system collapse.

“We have tried to cover the most pressing needs.”

Since 2023 the Cabildo has added 210,000 km of routes, 13 extra drivers, and 8,000 hours of overtime.

Fleet renewal

• In 2025, 22 new buses have been introduced: ten in March and twelve more presented last week at the Technological Park.
• The current concessionaire, Alsa, accelerated vehicle renewal because of dust, long distances and vandalism, even before the buses reached the end of their service life.

The result is the largest fleet renewal in 15 years, with 40 % of the buses modernised, including off‑road units for the Cofete route.

A strained system awaiting a major transformation

• Since 2023, 22,400 new resident tickets have been issued, a figure that exceeded forecasts a year early.
• The Cabildo now bears over €7 million of the €9 million annual cost of free transport, a burden that “strangles the budget.”
• The State contributes €2.1 million, and the Cabildo is urging the central government to fund 100 % of the actual investment required.

The upcoming concession is seen as the turning point for an island that needs more frequent routes, adapted services, technological solutions, and a balance between tourism and residents.

Tourists vs. residents: the line 6 conflict

At the Puerto del Rosario bus station, cruise arrivals bring 300–500 tourists who crowd the platform for line 6 to Corralejo, overwhelming the service and leaving workers stranded.

• The council estimates that 7–8 buses must be on standby to handle the surge.
• A strategic plan, modeled on other Spanish ports, is being developed. It will not simply add more buses (which could attract even more tourists) but will protect resident priority and ensure workers can reach their jobs.

Dispersed areas: limited coverage, future solutions

The forthcoming 10‑year concession will not cover isolated villages such as La Caldereta or Vallebrón, though Guisguey is included after a viable route was found.

For remote locations where a 50‑seat bus is impractical, the Cabildo is considering demand‑responsive transport, already used elsewhere, allowing residents to travel without the Cabildo shouldering empty‑kilometre costs.

School absenteeism and lack of transport

Criticism from FIMAPA and the Island Education Directorate links high school dropout rates to transport deficiencies. González agrees that school transport is lacking, blaming insufficient planning and communication from the Canary Islands Government.

• Students from the south attending the Technological Park had no dedicated transport, and a group was not opened in Gran Tarajal, forcing long commutes.
• The Cabildo responded by creating a new line, adding two buses and two drivers, reducing daily travel time for students from over four hours to a sustainable level.

Taxis and accessibility

González condemned the Antigua municipality for issuing new taxi licences without ensuring accessibility.

“I regret that the Antigua council did not have the sensitivity to make at least a broad percentage, if not all, of the licences accessible.”

While La Oliva moves toward inclusive fleets, other municipalities still grant licences without accessibility criteria. The Cabildo has already drafted objective criteria for future taxi and VTC licences, prioritising sustainability, emissions, and accessibility; had these been in place earlier, the Antigua licences would not have been approved.

Antigua Sports City: a key infrastructure unlocked

The Antigua Sports City project has been stalled for years. González admits the Cabildo lost a year and a half by not prioritising the file, which suffered a 54 % discrepancy in work units, forcing a contract renegotiation and replanning.

After direct intervention by President Lola García and meetings with the Antigua council, the new project is now validated and will enter procurement before year‑end, with completion expected 2027–2028 and an investment of nearly €9 million (up from the originally planned €6 million).