Looking Back - Gran Canaria

This week we are looking back at 2016 and today we look at the transport scene in Gran Canaria.

The buses (mostly coaches) cover most of the island, running frequent services and are run by Global.

 Above & below, Scania vehicles are the most popular on the island

GLOBAL is the largest Spanish social economy enterprise (employees being worker-partners) in the passenger transport sector. It was created on 17 March 2000 as the result of a merger of the two intercity passenger transport operators in Gran Canaria: Salcai, covering the south-southeast routes, and Utinsa, covering the central-northern routes.
Global supports cultural, education and environmental projects that help to care for the environment and support sustainable development.
It has a staff of 769, a fleet of 308 vehicles that travel more than 27 million km a year on the 121 routes throughout Gran Canaria, and more than 25 million passengers a year who count on Global for their journeys throughout the island.

Global has operations in a variety of sectors, including transport, software, marketing, training, consultancy, real estate, station management and communications, all within GRUPO GLOBAL.
Our holiday base was in Puerto de Mogan in the south west of the island and as most of my holiday was spent in and around the hotel pool I can't really tell you a massive amount about the routes.
My pictures are mostly taken in the bus station in Puerto de Mogan - I use the term 'bus station' lightly as the pictures illustrate!
Click here http://www.globalsu.net/en/concesiones.php and you can see a map showing all routes operated. The website also shows suggestions for using the bus services incorporating walks.

 Many vehicles have received the dreaded advertising treatment.
It hardly enhances their appearance and makes it difficult for
passengers to admire the views of the island

Regular visitors told us how easy it was to use the buses to get around the island and to incorporate them into walking and exploring.
Anyway, we were so busy swimming and sunbathing at the hotel that we only managed one short ride from Puerto de Mogan to Mogan travelling one of the few mini bus routes in this part of the island. These Iveco vehicles seem to be a fairly recent addition to the fleet.
All other main routes are served by full size coaches, some of which are tri-axle vehicles. Scania has been the main choice by Global until recently but now Iveco and Volvo vehicles have appeared. All passengers normally board and alight via the front entrance but the vehicles do have central doors equipped with a wheelchair lift.
The bus station in Puerto de Mogan is just a strip of unsurfaced land on the edge of the town. The services are well used and fares seem good value.

 Iveco vehicles have now appeared in the fleet. The Iveco coach on the right has received contravision advertising 

 The basic interiors offer high backed seats

 The facilities are minimal at Puerto de Mogan, but the services are well used

 A Volvo vehicle reverses into line and creates a dust cloud as it does so

 Above & below, Iveco minibuses have recently joined the Global fleet

 A Volvo tri-axle vehicle and below, all full size vehicles offer wheelchair access via the central doors

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