The Yutong 1694 bus is already a few years old, seven to be more exact, but it preserves almost the vitality of the early days, to prove it, every two days it travels long distances driven by Rafael Bello Acosta and Rolando Rodríguez Peña, who has formed a duo intending to honor the martyr of the transport sector José María Pérez and is an example for the workers of the branch, who this June 28 celebrate his Day.

Las Tunas, Cuba.- This is acknowledged by the directors and workers of the Ómnibus Nacionales business unit (UEB by its acronym in Spanish), which in the last five years has consecutively conquered the National Vanguard Status, granted by the Secretariat of the CTC in the country at the proposal of the Union at that level.

"It is true. She is not one of the new, new ones, but she performs as if she were. It has never left us on the road", says Rafael, referring to the long and exhausting trips from Las Tunas to Havana and vice versa, "right now, he says, we are fixing the speed box, which has been giving us problems, because the goal is not to lose time in the transfer and save the travelers that discomfort, and when it leaves we have a happy arrival at our destination."

But does that aspiration walk among potential hazards?

"Yes, he acknowledges. On the road we have to take extreme precautions because safety does not depend only on good wishes", he says and his face shines when he assures that he has never had an accident in his 38 years as a driver, first in units assigned to the extinct Ministry of Sugar, and since 15 years ago in this UEB.

A MIRACLE?

"I don't think so", he states categorically and emphasizes: "We like what we do, and every day we fall more in love with our work. We feel very good when everything is working and we are providing a good service to the population and contributing economically to the Unit.

Rafael speaks on behalf of himself and his colleague, who at the time of the interview was making insurance arrangements for the next trip, and honors with his words the colleague with whom he has shared the same enthusiasm and passion for a decade.

That love takes shape in the daily behavior of both of them, which they translate into "keeping the established speed, being very careful, respecting all traffic laws to the letter and resting, which is essential to avoid being surprised by sleep on the road", those are the premises they also carry on each trip, and there are the results.

From his long working career, Rafael distinguishes the risky days during the most critical days of the covid-19, "we were never stopped, we worked with the Henry Reeve brigade, transferring the doctors to the hospitals and isolation centers within the province, and also from the Havana airport to here"; he tells it with a certain Campeche pride because he knows how much that force of health professionals contributed to saving lives, inside and outside our borders.

Although the tradition, which is also an indication of courtesy in welcoming passengers and providing them with detailed information on the itinerary, has been lost, Rafael and Rolando continue to do it, "because when you welcome them and guide them, trust is established, empathy is achieved and we feel like family. It is not good to spend so many hours traveling as strangers," he remarks.

This is the privilege of the Yutong 1694 and of the other 24 buses of the Unit, whose technical condition is evidence that everyone's effort is combined there, but its members agree that, due to their innovative spirit, the mechanics and drivers are the bastions of success.
This is the only way to understand how, in these times of so many limitations in terms of parts, supplies, fuel, and other essential resources, the center maintains a technical availability coefficient of over 82 percent and that 22 of the 24 buses are still running.

"Everyone is very good. We all live looking for alternatives to overcome these difficulties," says Rafael, recognized as one of the most outstanding during 2022, with a humble and modest accent.