A Judge Ordered Cuenca Buses to Keep Running at Night

Cuenca's night-bus fight now has a court order in the middle of it.

A local judicial unit issued a precautionary measure on June 16, 2026, ordering the Camara de Transporte de Cuenca to avoid suspending, paralyzing, restricting or reducing urban bus frequencies at night.

What The Order Says

The measure was issued by judge Tatiana Ochoa Maldonado after an action brought by Piedad Ulloa, the Azuay provincial delegate of the Defensoria del Pueblo.

The argument was that reduced nighttime bus service affects the population's right to mobility. The ruling also tied the issue to access to work, education and health.

The order called for immediate compliance and noted that Ecuador's Constitution prohibits the paralysis of public transportation services.

Why This Is Happening

The night-service reduction began at 19:00 on June 8. Transport leaders say higher diesel costs have made the current fare unsustainable, while municipal officials say a subsidy has been approved but has not reached all operators because some companies have not met the required conditions.

The public fare is currently 30 cents per trip. Transport representatives say the technical fare is above 40 cents.

What Riders Should Know

There may still be uneven service while the dispute plays out. On the night of June 16, reduced frequencies continued despite the judicial measure, and some users waited several minutes before taking taxis.

EMOV has also used a contingency plan for affected riders. Since the start of the measure, more than 1,540 people have been moved for free using institutional buses and patrols, with priority for people with disabilities, children, adolescents and older adults.

If you depend on buses after 7 p.m., keep a backup plan for now. The legal order is clear, but the practical service situation may take a little longer to stabilize.