A route taxi driver traveling at excessive speed rear-ended a fire department water tanker on the Tijuana-Tecate free highway Monday afternoon, injuring five passengers including three children ages 4, 4, and 7.
The crash occurred near Avenida Héroes de la Independencia in the El Florido industrial zone, a heavily trafficked corridor in eastern Tijuana. Driver Luis Guillermo, 35, was arrested at the scene and turned over to the Fiscalía General del Estado (FGE), the state attorney general’s office, on injury charges.
Woman Rushed to Hospital With Serious Injuries
Among the five injured passengers, a 48-year-old woman suffered the most serious harm. Emergency responders immobilized her at the scene before transporting her to a hospital. The three children and one other adult also required medical attention.
No representative from the taxi’s operator, Grupo de Transportes Urbanos y Suburbanos “24 de Febrero,” appeared at the crash site. The company runs route taxis along the Tijuana-Tecate corridor, a road frequently used by commuters traveling between the two border cities.
Ongoing Safety Complaints Against Operator
Monday’s collision fits a pattern of safety complaints against the “24 de Febrero” bus company. Residents have repeatedly flagged the operator on social media for running vehicles with mechanical problems and failing to enforce basic safety standards. The Instituto Metropolitano de Planeación y Movilidad Sustentable (IMOS), Tijuana’s sustainable mobility agency, has not acted on those complaints, according to local reports.
Route taxis, known locally as “taxis de ruta” or colectivos, are a common form of public transit across Tijuana. They operate on fixed routes at set fares, typically picking up and dropping off passengers along major roads. The Tijuana-Tecate free highway carries both local commuter traffic and long-distance vehicles, making speeding on the route particularly dangerous.
El Florido sits roughly 20 kilometers east of central Tijuana, in an industrial and residential area that has grown rapidly in recent years. The neighborhood relies on route taxis as a primary link to the rest of the city.
This story was first reported by Punto Norte.