The challenge
Bogotá needed fast, high-capacity public transport but couldn't afford a metro.
The case
Opened in 2000, TransMilenio gave Bogotá high-capacity buses running in dedicated lanes with platform stations and prepaid fares, built far faster and more cheaply than a metro. Travel times on its corridors fell sharply and it became one of the busiest bus systems in the world, copied by cities worldwide. But expansion lagged demand, buses became severely overcrowded, and fares and service quality became a source of public anger. Measurements reported by Hidalgo and colleagues found TransMilenio carrying 43,000 passengers per hour per direction, with an average of 150 passengers on each articulated bus.
Why the results were mixed
Bus rapid transit can deliver metro-like service quickly and cheaply. Without steady investment to keep up with ridership, a success can turn into a daily frustration.
Sources
- Hidalgo, D., & Gutiérrez, L. (2013). BRT and BHLS around the world: Explosive growth, large positive impacts and many issues outstanding. Research in Transportation Economics.
- Hidalgo, D., Lleras, G., & Hernández, E. (2013). Methodology for calculating passenger capacity in bus rapid transit systems: Application to the TransMilenio system in Bogotá, Colombia. Research in Transportation Economics.
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