28:
269:
201:. Ordered in December 1998, all 45 were delivered in 2003, but construction of the line had fallen behind schedule by then, so the vehicles were stored for an extended period, until the first section of the route was completed. Some of these vehicles were believed to be continuing in service in early 2017, but running exclusively as diesel buses, with all trolleybus operation having ended circa mid-2016.
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In
September 2012, service was extended from Pie del Llano northeastwards to Mercado Periférico, adding 2.7 km and six stations. The latter was a temporary terminus, pending the opening of the next extension, and was not equipped with overhead wires; the trolleybuses switched to their diesel engines
168:
and thefts of overhead wiring during periods of civil unrest, diesel buses began to be used on the trolleybus line around June 2015 and by
October 2015 they were providing about half of the service. Trolleybus operation became sporadic in 2016. By August, it had ceased entirely, and was not expected
247:
from its opening in 2007 until
December 2014, as the operator had long stated that fares would not be charged until the service was extended to the city centre. The latter did not occur until August 2015, after being repeatedly delayed, so the introduction of fares took place before the line reached
239:
and during limited hours on weekends, specifically 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to
Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Weekday off-peak service was only introduced – after repeatedly being postponed – in December 2014. At the same date, Sunday service was discontinued, as the
255:
Diesel buses began providing some of the service on the trolleybus line around June 2015, and by
October 2015 they were providing about half of the service. Trolleybus operation became sporadic in 2016, and by around August 2016 all trolleybus operation had ceased, with the few dual-mode buses that
208:
systems, the vehicles operated in their own exclusive lanes over the route's entire length, to avoid delays from traffic congestion and reduce travel times. Boarding took place at fully enclosed, high-platform stations, permitting quick boarding and alighting of passengers. Similar to many modern
156:
The initial 10.4-km route opened in June 2007, and a 2.7-km extension to
Mercado Periférico (just southwest of the city centre) opened in September 2012. In August 2015, a 2.1-km extension to Domingo Peña, at the upper terminus of the Line 3 aerial cableway, opened, but with the dual-mode buses
449:
Line 2, the second trolleybus route, never got past the planning stages. It was expected to be 12 km long with three common stations alongside or crossing Line 1. It would have connected La
Parroquia with La Vuelta de Lola, running along streets parallel to Line 1 for much of its length.
308:
operated in diesel mode between
Mercado Periférico and Domingo Peña, as the overhead trolley wires along the latter section had not yet been installed. Installation of the overhead wiring began in September and was completed in November, but that wiring never came into use, the trolleybuses
153:), was about 50 percent complete as of May 2011, and the cableway opened for service on 14 December 2012. Construction of Line 2 never started. The operator of the system was originally named Trolmérida, but in August 2009 its name was changed to Tromerca, for Trolebús Mérida, C.A.
309:
continuing to operate in diesel mode along that 2-km section. Diesel buses began providing some of the service on Line 1 in 2015, and by around August 2016 all trolleybus operation had ceased, with the few dual-mode buses remaining in service running exclusively in diesel mode.
157:
running as diesel buses on that section while the overhead wiring awaited installation and, subsequently, certification for use. This brought the length of the trolleybus line to 15.2 km, but with 2.1 km of its length being operated in diesel mode rather than
292:
with Mérida. The northeastern terminus was at Pie del Llano station, southwest of Mérida city centre. Construction continued, somewhat sporadically, on the section of the line extending northeastwards from there, into the city centre.
217:
systems, the platforms were vertically aligned with the vehicles' floors, and the vehicles had no steps at their doorways. The only previous trolleybus system to use such a system of level boarding at high platforms was
297:
to turn around at
Mercado Periférico terminus. This brought the line's length to 13.1 km. Construction continued on the extension from there to a new terminus at the upper end of the also-under-construction
785:
469:
On 29 August 2015, the service on Line 1 (the trolleybus line) was extended to the upper end of the cableway, where its new terminus station was named
Domingo Peña. However, the
304:
On 29 August 2015, Line 1 was extended by 2.1 km from Mercado Periférico to Domingo Peña, at the upper end of the cableway, which had opened in December 2014. However, the
545:
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and other BRT systems, fare collection took place within the stations, before boarding, so that loading could take place via all three vehicle doorways simultaneously.
141:, was considered to be "Line 1" of a planned three-route "Mass Transport System" (Sistema de Transporte Masivo), of which Line 2 was also to be trolleybus and Line 3 an
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operated in diesel mode between Mercado Periférico and Domingo Peña, as the overhead trolley wires along the latter section had not yet been installed.
790:
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busway began being closed to vehicles every Sunday, for use instead by pedestrians and cyclists, as part of a program called "Healthy Sundays".
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valley below the city, to an upper terminus in central Mérida and is about 1 km long. It opened for service on 14 December 2012.
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The first 10.4-km section, serving 15 stations, was inaugurated on 18 June 2007. The route connected
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The following stations were in operation in 2015, the last full year of trolleybus operation:
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301:(Line 3), which was to be named Los Conquistadores (but was later renamed Domingo Peña).
137:, and surrounding communities from 2007 to 2016. Its only line, which was operated by
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remained in service running exclusively in diesel mode. Reasons given included
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631:
No. 325 (January–February 2016), p. 31. UK: National Trolleybus Association.
578:(UK) No. 308 (March–April 2013), p. 54. UK: National Trolleybus Association.
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No. 307 (January–February 2013), p. 27. UK: National Trolleybus Association.
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of Spain, with the vehicles' electrical propulsion equipment provided by
428:(not yet open in 2015, being passed without stopping): Luis Ghersi Govea
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No. 320 (March–April 2015), p. 63. UK: National Trolleybus Association.
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434:(not yet open in 2015, being passed without stopping): Universidad
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431:(not yet open in 2015, being passed without stopping): Medicina
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For most of its life, the trolleybus system was served only in
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uses Tromerca Mercedes-Benz Hispano dual-mode trolleybus in
546:"Avanza construcción de estaciones del Trolcable de Mérida"
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station, designed by Venezuelan architect Roberto Ameneiro
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The Trolleybuses of Mérida: description, map, 29 photos
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189:trolleybuses supplied in 2003 by a partnership of
185:The trolleybus line was served by a fleet of 45
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164:Due to a combination of factors, including
786:Buildings and structures in Mérida, Mérida
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440:(upper terminus of Line 3 aerial cableway)
717:No. 329 (September–October 2016), p. 159.
654:No. 330 (November–December 2016), p. 188.
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598:No. 289 (January–February 2010), p. 23.
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533:The Trolleybuses of Mérida, Venezuela.
145:. Line 3 was originally planned as a
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181:Trolleybus operating in bus-only lane
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766:Defunct trolleybus systems by city
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791:2007 establishments in Venezuela
729:No. 333 (May–June 2017), p. 117.
354:(proposed Line 2 transfer point)
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462:, connects San Jacinto, in the
260:and theft of overhead wiring.
248:the city centre. As with the
102:Tromerca (Trolebús Mérida, CA)
1:
88:
807:
776:Rapid transit in Venezuela
499:List of trolleybus systems
743:Official Tromerca website
554:(in Spanish). 19 May 2011
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123:Mérida trolleybus system
21:Mérida trolleybus system
250:Quito trolleybus system
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139:dual-mode trolleybuses
535:Retrieved 2017-06-05.
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258:electricity rationing
243:All service was also
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166:electricity rationing
445:Line 2 (former plan)
272:A trolleybus at the
727:Trolleybus Magazine
715:Trolleybus Magazine
698:Trolleybus Magazine
681:Trolleybus Magazine
664:Trolleybus Magazine
652:Trolleybus Magazine
629:Trolleybus Magazine
596:Trolleybus Magazine
576:Trolleybus Magazine
129:system that served
125:was an electrified
424:Mercado Periférico
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278:
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92: August 2016
64:Number of stations
771:Bus rapid transit
531:Morrison, Allen.
504:Bus rapid transit
373:Museo de Ciencias
284:A typical station
191:Hispano Carrocera
127:bus rapid transit
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409:María Mazzarello
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306:dual-mode buses
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143:aerial cableway
94:(as trolleybus)
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85:Ended operation
77:Began operation
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746:(in Spanish)
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556:. Retrieved
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438:Domingo Peña
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414:Campo de Oro
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80:18 June 2007
54:Transit type
15:
551:El Nacional
464:Chama River
399:Santa Juana
388:San Antonio
204:Like other
187:articulated
169:to resume.
99:Operator(s)
760:Categories
510:References
477:In fiction
419:Juan XXIII
383:El Acuario
378:Las Tapias
363:Alto Chama
342:Las Cruces
332:Centenario
327:Pozo Hondo
211:light rail
199:Bombardier
159:trolleybus
58:Trolleybus
637:0266-7452
584:0266-7452
558:31 August
404:Soto Rosa
337:Montalbán
173:Operation
151:Trolcable
147:funicular
135:Venezuela
107:Technical
72:Operation
48:Venezuela
493:See also
368:Carrizal
221:El Trole
35:Overview
358:La Mara
230:Ecuador
115:15.2 km
635:
582:
483:Lusaka
454:Line 3
264:Line 1
161:mode.
131:Mérida
44:Mérida
40:Locale
290:Ejido
226:Quito
215:metro
633:ISSN
580:ISSN
560:2011
245:free
213:and
193:and
121:The
224:in
206:BRT
762::
705:^
688:^
671:^
644:^
603:^
568:^
548:.
518:^
489:.
228:,
133:,
89:c.
67:22
46:,
639:.
586:.
562:.
395:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
