The EMT has stopped the new electric buses due to a lack of chargers
The workers assure that the lack of chargers, the incidents on the buses and the lack of available vehicles cause difficulties in covering services and reinforcements
PalmaThe drivers of EMT Palma denounce a situation of a lack of operational vehicles that, according to them, affects daily service and the municipal company's ability to cover planned reinforcements and frequencies. The workers attribute a large part of the problems to the difficulties in incorporating the 23 new electric buses and to technical incidents in part of the current fleet. These new vehicles are part of the EMT's Strategic Plan 2024-2027, which foresees the incorporation of up to 113 zero-emission vehicles, as announced by the City Council.
Sources from the staff explain that in recent days several drivers have been stranded at the depots unable to start their service because there were no buses available. "There were six or seven people free, but there were no vehicles to leave in," assures a worker consulted by this outlet.
One of the main problems is the insufficiency of operational charging points. This causes electric buses to often not be able to charge in the evening and to not start their route directly because they are discharged, or to have to be withdrawn mid-morning due to lack of autonomy. "They leave with 30% battery and we have to withdraw them halfway through the shift," assures the same source.
According to the drivers' version, currently only some of the new electric buses can circulate normally. Besides the lack of chargers, they also have recurring breakdowns. In theory, there are 12 operational chargers, but only 9 work correctly, they detail. This situation, they claim, would have made it difficult to cover the special reinforcements planned during the Selectividad exams at the University of the Balearic Islands. "Not only was the reinforcement not possible, but the minimum service was not even met," he laments.
The workers attribute this crisis to the poor planning of the infrastructure associated with the electrification of the fleet. In this regard, they point out that the new Son Rossinyol facilities do not yet have all the equipment initially planned to service the new vehicles. "The infrastructure should have been done first and then the buses incorporated," laments a driver, who describes the situation as a "mess" and believes that the announcement of the purchase of the vehicles was prioritized before ensuring their operability.
This situation directly affects the workers responsible for the nighttime organization of the fleet. As they explain, the lack of space and charging points makes it difficult to prepare the buses to be available first thing in the morning.
As reported by the Palma City Council, the 23 electric 12-meter buses acquired from BYD Motores have been arriving since April. It is precisely these new vehicles that have caused, according to the drivers' account, the congestion in the EMT garages.
In its communication of May 26, the City Council explained that the EMT currently has 12 operational chargers and that 10 more are planned to be incorporated in the coming weeks. Starting in June, 34 additional buses awarded to Mercedes-Benz within the municipal fleet renewal process are expected to arrive.