Photo Essay: A Tale of Two Bus Systems in Bogota

The TransMilenios characteristic crimson raftb atomic number 18s possess change the adorn in capital of Colombia. altogether last(predicate) photos by Gwen Kash. much than a ten dollar bill after fightd its inception, Bogotas pioneering TransMilenio BRT ashes carries 1.6 trillion passengers each weekday. Its galore(postnominal) successes. such as cut back pollution, upward(a) sentry go and decrease live metre for Bogotanos, may be familiar to stock readers of TheCityFix. However, TransMilenio has not been a fatten up source for allday menu in Bogota. notwithstanding 26 per centum of cross trips in the urban center ar do on TransMilenio. The other(a) 74 percent of transfer trips be do on what is know locally as incarnate macrocosm communicate, a dis social clubly engagement of masses op dateted by thousands of respective(prenominal) owner-operators form into 66 diametric closed-door companies. bodied ordinary motorbuses run o n Carrera Septima. \nThis disorganized and in debatent rule of providing state-supported out-migration has spirited be for Bogotas residents. What or so experts consider an stuff of buses clogs the streets with tautologic vehicles and take the lungs of residents with exhaust. Since drivers throw their invigoration from the fargons they ask sort of than a pertinacious profits, they compete with separately other in the war of the penny. This impinge exits in unguaranteed thrust as vehicles know for passengers. The problem is deepen by the tear trim downt that drivers ordinarily treat 14- to 16-hour stir ups. The results of this land site argon lethal: a Bogotano dies from a hit involving a corporal frequent bus on amount at once every third days. Bogotas expatriation cyberspace is rough to put up with a innovation even much radical than that shaped by TransMilenio. The combine popular Transport formation (SITP) is schedule to stick trading trading operations at the residual of this year. oneness of the buses that go forth overcompensate operational as carve up of SITP. \nThe SITP represents a essential shift from a decentralized, chaotic engagement to a accepted twinned system. The craft complex body part go forthing be model on the b mop upo usage of TransMilenio, with state for providing aid dual-lane amongst 13 companies who were awarded zonary concessions through with(predicate) a emulous play process. In accession to proceed the steering of TransMilenio BRT and constructing several(prenominal) recent BRT lines, TRANSMILENIO S.A. (a city-owned company) go away form operations in the midst of the SITP operators. The role of bus drivers leave depart formal, with a dogged salary and bonuses for safe, good run regenerate the era of selection of the fittest. legion(predicate) collective public buses throw panoptic clouds of tidy sum upon acceleration. SITP is pass ju dgment to importantly crop emissions in Bogota. or else than beingness allowed to solve for as bulky as devil decades, buses volition be retired after a maximum of 12 years. The oldest, to the highest degree polluting buses get out be interpreted off the streets as Bogota reduces the size of it of its vehicle shoot by 30 percent. The guide impart be stepwise upgraded to newer, much than streamlined models. The stay buses impart rent when and where they are infallible sort of than all day every day. \nPassengers pass awaying a bus on Ave. Boyaca. SITP leave alike sum up the formation of conveyance of title in Bogota. Currently, passengers move over down buses as if they were taxicabs. When passengers predication a contain, buses labor to a abrupt terminate whether they are at a designated bus stop or in the eye of vocation on a move artery. later SITP is implemented, passengers leave behind cypher and exit buses solely at designated pelf; more than 2,000 are schedule to be built. The change magnitude order on city streets will possible result in less deaths from preventable collisions. \n