Cuba’s fuel rationing is driving some commuters to an underwater bus

HAVANA — On a recent sweltering afternoon in the Cuban capital, dozens of commuters on bicycles, scooters and electric motorcycles gathered in a tidy row at the entrance of the Havana Bay Tunnel. They were waiting for the Ciclobús, a bus specially fitted to take people — and their rides — through the underwater tunnel linking Old Havana to the eastern side of the island. The diesel-powered bus can accommodate around 60 travelers and their vehicles, making enough trips to transport more than 2,000 people per day. It features a front seating section, but half its metallic frame is an open bay for cargo. Riders enter via a specialized ramp and stay with their vehicles for the duration of the trip, holding onto wall-mounted grab bars for balance. Bicycles, motorcycles and scooters are not allowed in the tunnel. While the Ciclobús is not new, it has never been as popular — and essential — as Cuba navigates its most severe energy crisis in decades. The energy blockade imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump in January has forced the country to ration gasoline to only 20 liters (5 g

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