Acknowledging that getting from Point A to Point B on public transportation in Tulum is often difficult, a Quintana Roo state government agency is aiming to solve the problem with golf carts. The Mobility Institute of Quintana Roo (Imoveqroo) last month approved 400 golf carts as a new form of public transportation in the center of Tulum. Currently, the agency responsible for regulating and overseeing transportation services in the state is seeking tenders from interested operators.
According to a study published in the Official State Gazette on Aug. 15, Tulum’s explosive growth — both as a tourist destination and as a place to live — prompted Imoveqroo’s decision. According to the online news outlet Novedades Quintana Roo, “there is no adequate service in the center of town, so tourists, especially, have to travel by taxi.
” Legally, Uber is an option in the state, but tensions with local taxi unions have rendered service spotty and perhaps risky in Tulum. Also, a system of combis and colectivos (minibuses and vans) operates within the Tulum municipality, but largely outside of the downtown. The new plan calls for golf carts seating two to six people to ply Tulum’s streets in the near future.
Some carts will be operated by a company driver, but others will be available for the public to rent and drive themselves. The plan didn’t address rental costs or fares. Imoveqroo noted that adding golf carts to the mix is considered an “acceptable option for the moveme.