José Luis García Parra, Puebla’s Cabinet Coordinator, made a clear case before state legislators on why expanding the existing RUTA bus system isn’t the solution to the city’s mobility challenges. Instead, the state government is betting on the Cablebús, a cable car transit system, as a more efficient and cost-effective alternative.

During his appearance before the Congress of Puebla, García Parra explained that extending RUTA along the same route planned for the Cablebús would require wide, stable avenues and the acquisition of land, including expropriations. The Cablebús, by contrast, avoids these complications by operating above ground, minimizing disruption and land use.

Financially, the numbers also favor the Cablebús. By 2030, Puebla will have invested over 18 billion pesos in RUTA since its inception, including more than 8 billion pesos just for construction. The Cablebús project, however, is estimated to cost around 6.75 billion pesos. Moreover, García Parra highlighted that the Cablebús is expected to become financially self-sustaining by its second year of operation, with annual operating costs of about 105 million pesos covered by its own revenue. RUTA, on the other hand, demands higher operational costs and ongoing subsidies.

This defense of the Cablebús comes amid ongoing debates about Puebla’s public transportation future. Some voices have called for expanding RUTA lines, but the state government argues that the articulated bus system’s higher costs and subsidy needs make it less viable.

The Cablebús aims to connect strategic points across Puebla’s metropolitan area—such as Mayorazgo, the Integral Services Center, Parque Juárez, Amalucan, and the stadium zone—promising shorter travel times by bypassing street-level traffic congestion.

For the government, the goal isn’t just to expand existing transit options but to fundamentally change how thousands of Poblanos move daily. The Cablebús represents a forward-thinking approach that could improve accessibility and efficiency while reducing the environmental and social costs tied to traditional bus systems.