Categoría: News & Events

New Report: Global Land Transport Infraestructure Requirements

Over the next four decades, global passenger and freight travel is expected to double over 2010 levels. In order to accommodate this growth, it is expected that the world will need to add nearly 25 million paved road lane-kilometres and 335 000 rail track kilometres. In addition, it is expected that between 45 000 square kilometres and 77 000 square kilometres of new parking spaces will be added to accommodate vehicle stock growth. These land transport infrastructure additions, when combined with operations, maintenance and repairs, are expected to cost as much as USD 45 trillion by 2050.

This publication reports on the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) analysis of infrastructure requirements to support projected road and rail travel through 2050, using the IEA Mobility Model. It considers land transport infrastructure additions to support travel growth to 2050. It also considers potential savings if countries pursue “avoid and shift” policies: in this scenario, cumulative global land transport infrastructure spending could decrease as much as USD 20 trillion by 2050 over baseline projections.

The information of our BRTdata website was used as source for this relevant report.

Download report here.
 
 
 
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New Road Safety Design Guidelines for Indian BRT Systems

Source: The CityFix

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems have emerged as a cost-effective, flexible, and environmentally sustainable form of public transportation, and have come a long way since the world’s first system was developed in Curitiba, Brazil, and subsequently in other cities across Latin America. In India, BRTs have received considerable interest, and several cities are currently developing or augmenting their BRT systems. However, the perceived shortcomings of some such systems, especially with regard to road safety, have resulted in some amount of skepticism about the merits of BRTs.

Typically, a BRT system improves road safety because it segregates the movement of buses from all other transport modes, and introduces other changes in the road infrastructure that are associated with safety. These include shorter pedestrian crossings, and refuge islands. In particular, a central lane BRT system places the buses away from the paths of pedestrians and bicyclists, who are the most vulnerable road users. A well-executed BRT system can significantly reduce road accidents. However, poorly designed infrastructure could have the opposite impact on road safety if it fails to consider the negative impact on local accessibility and vehicular capacity.

EMBARQ is developing design guidelines for road safety on Bus Rapid Transit corridors in Indian cities. The focus of these guidelines is on road safety, with special consideration towards local accessibility and road traffic capacity. EMBARQ has gained significant expertise in conducting road safety audits on a number of BRT systems in India and other places, including those in Ahmedabad, New Delhi, Indore, Bogotá, Arequipa, Mexico City, and Rio de Janeiro.

These guidelines have been developed out of these experiences, aimed at providing bus agencies, and transport planning organizations with a set of suggested design of BRT corridors. The guidelines include recommendations for street design, intersections, stations and station access, as well as transfers and terminals.

GET INVOLVED

A draft version of EMBARQ India’s Road Safety Design Guidelines for Bus Rapid Transit In Indian Cities is available for download. This draft is currently undergoing an external peer review process, collating feedback from a broad spectrum of experts, practitioners, and stakeholders. EMBARQ India welcomes your participation, inviting you to review the guidelines and provide feedback.

To participate in the review process, and provide feedback, contact EMBARQ India’s road safety team, Binoy Mascarenhas at bmascarenhas@embarqindia.org, or Nikhil Chaudhary at nchaudhary@embarqindia.org.
 
 
 
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Video explaining Bus Rapid Transit

EMBARQ Brazil and the Brazilian National Federation of Bus Service Providers (NTU) launched a video in Portuguese, English and Spanish explaining Bus Rapid Transit. The video explains what a BRT is, it’s features and more technical details. EMBARQ Brasil provided images from their network video database that shows different BRT systems around the world. The video is a great tool to explain what a BRT is.

EMBARQ Brasil produced, edited and reviewed the videos, with the sponsorship & support of NTU.
 
 
 
English:

 
 
 
Spanish:

 
 
 
Portuguese:

 
 
 
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Global BRT Survey

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The University of California Transportation Center is conducting a global survey on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and its potential to shape sustainable urban development. Please fill the survey, and/or forward to planning managers or those in charge of BRT systems.

Follow this link to the Survey:
Take the Survey

Or copy and paste this into your browser:
https://acsurvey.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_d4OmRTZNTkgPoHz

en Español:
https://acsurvey.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_7X1rFGopDz3tuHb

The survey should take less than 20 minutes to complete. The survey elicits information on urban development impacts, implementation tools, barriers, and other aspects of leveraging development as part of BRT investments.

Please complete the survey by March 7th. If you have any questions, please contact Danielle Dai, Graduate Student Researcher, at ddai@berkeley.edu.
 
 
Your help is very much appreciated.
 
 
 
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World Bank Extends Period For BRT Project in Ghana

Source: Government of Ghana

Ghana’s dream of enjoying a bus Rapid Transit (BRT) transportation system has been renewed as the Department of Urban Roads (DUR) gets two more years from the World Bank to execute the project.

The BRT is being implemented under the Urban Transport Project (UTP) to deliver fast and affordable transportation for commuters in Accra and Kumasi.

It is expected to provide regulatory and institutional reforms in urban transportation in the two cities.

Information available on the official website of the World Bank, a key funding partner in the implementation of the UTP, under which the BRT will be introduced to the country, indicates that the new date for the completion of the project is December 2014.

The Director of the DUR, Dr Daniel Darku, who confirmed the extension, said the department had received an official letter from the World Bank extending the completion date of the project to December 2014.

Implementers of the UTP were expected to complete the project in December 2012 but that date had to be reviewed following delays in its execution. They are, however, optimistic of completing the project within the extended period.

That optimism is premised on an agreement reached with the World Bank, which has spelt out some steps to be taken towards completing the project. “The June 2012 Bank mission agreed with the government on an action plan to right track the implementation,” the bank stated.

The UTP is being jointly funded by the World Bank, Agence Francaise de Development (AFD), the Government of Ghana, and the Global Environment Facility trust Fund at the cost of $95 million.

The Implementation Status Report released by the bank described the progress towards the achievement of the Project Development Objective (PDO) and he overall implementation progress as ‘moderately satisfactory’ at a time the project was expected to be heading toward completion.

According to the World Bank’s report, $25.2 million was disbursed from the International Development Agency (IDA) credit, representing 54.5 per cent of the credit and an additional $5.75 million, representing 82.1 per cent, from the Global Environment Facility of the grant had been utilized by the DUR.

The DUR agreed with the World Bank in June last year to establish a pre-Greater Accra passenger Transport Executive (GAPTE) Unit within the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development as a condition for the extension of the project and implementation of the lots one and two of the infrastructural works.

A functional pre-GAPTE unit headed by Mr Sampson Gyamena has since been established.

While work has been completed on lot one, which is the construction of a flyover on the railway line on the Graphic road, that of lot two, which involves the construction of bus lanes from the Graphic Road to the Obtsebi-Lamptey Circle through to the First Light, and lot three, involving the construction of deports, terminals and bus stops, are yet to begin.

The design and cost of the remaining works on the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) way are being updated and the Resettlement Action Plans (RAPS) and Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) for the works components have been completed, the World Bank report stated.

Accra, Kumasi and other urban centres in the country face severe vehicular congestion with dire socio-economic impacts. The project, therefore, seeks to, among other things, improve mobility in areas of the participating metropolitan, municipal or district assemblies (MMDAs) through a combination of traffic engineering measures and improvements, regulation of the public transport industry, and the implementation of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.
 
 
 
 
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What's Next for Sustainable Transport in Cities?

Source: EMBARQ

Partners in the Transforming Transportation 2013 conference share lessons, ideas, and opportunities for action.

Urbanization is one of the most significant modern-day phenomena and making urban transport more sustainable has become an urgent development priority. Six out of 10 people will live in cities by 2030. These growing cities are struggling to provide services to residents and deal with overburdened roads, as well as the threat of climate change and rising road traffic injuries.
 
Over 500 policy makers and transport experts from around the world gathered in Washington, DC on January 17-18 to discuss big opportunities for action on sustainable transport in cities. They were attending the 10th annual Transforming Transportation conference, hosted by the World Bank and EMBARQ, the center for sustainable transport at the World Resources Institute (WRI).
 
Bloomberg, Kim weigh in
 
World Bank President Jim Yong Kim and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg weighed in January 18 on what it will take to shape the future of cities — and cut pollution, road deaths, commute times, and poverty.
 
A large part of the answer: greener, more efficient and cost-effective urban transportation that is designed to move people, not cars.
 
“We have to start looking at other ways to move people. Traffic does hurt your economy,” Mayor Bloomberg said, during the live-streamed event.
 
Urban transportation systems must be sustainable and benefit all people, including young people, women, and future generations, said Dr. Kim. If we don’t make progress on climate change in cities – especially megacities – we will hand over a very different world to our children, the president warned, citing the recent World Bank report Turn Down the Heat: Why a 4°C World Must Be Avoided.
 
Watch the keynote video.
 
The challenges cities face
 
Over the two days, the conference topics ranged from sustainable urban planning to making informal transport work for the majority, to creating safe commuting choices. Beijing, Mexico City, New York City, Quito, and Rio de Janeiro were among the cities sharing their experiences. Improving road safety in cities, and making informal transport work for the majority, were hotly debated topics.
 
In a blog post leading up to the conference, World Bank Vice President for Sustainable Development Rachel Kyte suggested, “Take a drive in Lagos and you’ll see the challenges cities face – and what they can do about them.”
 
Lagos, with some 11.2 million people, has locked-in traffic patterns and congested roads that can get thick with pollution. In 2002, the city decided to do something about it. With support from the World Bank, it began work on a bus rapid transport system, the first in sub-Saharan Africa. BRT commuters in Lagos today have reduced their transit time by 40 percent, and fares have dropped 30 percent on average, despite rising fuel costs. “Much more must be done, but we’re seeing progress,” said Kyte.
 
Big opportunities for action
 
Road traffic crashes cause more than 1.2 million deaths annually, about 90 percent of them in low- and middle-income countries. Conference participants heard how cities such as New York have adopted successful programs aimed at cutting traffic fatalities by 50 percent through a combination of traffic calming measures, slow school zones, protected bike lanes, and public campaigns.
 
India, with its rapidly growing urban population, was identified as a country with big challenges – and big opportunities. The country will have 200-230 million new urban residents by 2030. It is undergoing rapid motorization, with 12 million new two-wheelers in 2012. The country accounted for around 10 percent of road fatalities worldwide in 2008. And emissions from urban transport in India are set to increase five- to seven-fold in the next 20 years.
 
Madhav Pai, Director of EMBARQ India, gave the example of the city of Ahmedabad, where the population is predicted to rise to 13.2 million by 2040, up from 6.4 million in 2011 (and only 3.3 million in 1992).
 
There is great potential to limit urban sprawl in Ahmedabad by leveraging the mass transit system, Pai said. However, questions remain: Is there is enough funding available to build adequate public transport? And what policies and instruments will be needed to ensure land-use and transport integration?
 
Commitment to sustainable transport
 
The conference also discussed how to leverage one of the most important outcomes of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in June 2012: the commitment by the eight largest multilateral development banks (MDBs) to invest $175 billion in sustainable transportation over the next decade.
 
This commitment is a crucial response to a host of urgent issues felt by cities across the globe. Given the magnitude of investment needs, how can these funds catalyze a shift to more a sustainable trajectory?
 
“While all the MDBs are helping advance this agenda, implementation will require strong buy-in by the client countries themselves, together with a firm commitment to knowledge, capacity and awareness-building programs, and to coordinating among different policy domains,” said Jose Luis Irigoyen, World Bank Director for Transport, Water, and Information and Communication Technologies.
 
The effects of this concerted push are already visible in the share of the World Bank’s project portfolio going to sustainable transport loans with environmental, gender, accessibility, road safety, and social equity components.
 
For Holger Dalkmann, Director of EMBARQ, the $175 billion commitment was the signal of a shift which, to be set in motion, requires engagement from the MDBs with a wide set of stakeholders, starting with nongovernmental organizations. “The engagement is about correctly reallocating the money and creating a pull from the ground up, from cities to national governments, to the MDBs,” he said.
 
“Win-win-win”
 
One key challenge that countries and cities face, and which received attention throughout the conference, is the complexity of urban transport and the need to identify and implement holistic solutions, tailored to local needs.
 
Both Irigoyen and Dalkmann said their institutions stand ready to help build the partnerships and capacity needed to meet this challenge.
 
Wrapping up the two days of discussion, WRI President Andrew Steer emphasized the benefits of sustainable transport.
 
“If you get green transportation right, it pays for itself in terms of economics, in terms of environment, and in terms of human health and well-being,” he said. “It’s a wonderful win-win-win.”
 
Transforming Transportation 2013 was organized in partnership with the Asian Development Bank, the Clean Air Asia, the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the Partnership on Sustainable Low Carbon Transport.
 
 
 
 
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Benchmark Report that Compares Six Latin American Public Transport Systems (in Spanish)

 
Este jueves 7 de febrero, 2013, a las 11:00 en el Centro de Extensión de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile se realizará el lanzamiento de los resultados del Estudio Comparativo de Indicadores de Ciudades Latinoamericanas, por parte de nuestro director, Juan Carlos Muñoz.
 
En esta ocasión de mostrarán los principales resultados de la investigación que compara el Transantiago con el transporte público en otras cinco ciudades de A. Latina: Guadalajara, Ciudad de México, Lima, Porto Alegre y Bogotá.
 
Resumen de resultados: Se observa que los viajes en Transantiago son más rápidos que en Guadalajara, Ciudad de México, Lima y Porto Alegre y similares a los de Bogotá. La integración tarifaria que permite el uso de modos más rápidos (Metro, superexpresos y corredores segregados) provee, además mayor equidad y confiabilidad en los viajes. El desafío para Transantiago es reducir caminatas y esperas.
 
La investigación compara los factores distancia, tiempo de caminata, tiempo de espera, tiempo de viaje en vehículo, velocidad y número de transbordos, entre muchas otras características de los sistemas.
 
Descargar presentación de la conferencia de prensa.
Descargar cuerpo principal del informe.
Descargar anexos del informe.
 
Prensa:
Estrategia
La Tercera
El Mercurio
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Social Conflict about Feeder Bus Service in Wealthy Neighborhood in Santiago (in Spanish – Updated)

El diario chileno El Mercurio cuenta con una sección llamada Cartas al Director donde los lectores pueden plantear problemas o inquietudes relativos a la actualidad nacional. Por esta vía, el Director de nuestro Centro de Excelencia, Juan Carlos Muñoz, ha planteado una situación conflictiva en el barrio La Dehesa de Santiago, uno de los sectores más acomodados del país: el Alcalde está cursando multas a los buses alimentadores del sistema Transantiago que ingresan a él. A continuación, reproducimos la carta enviada por Juan Carlos Muñoz, seguida de la respuesta del alcalde y luego otra carta de Muñoz:
 
 
Fuente: Carta a El Mercurio, 02 de Febrero de 2013.
 
 
Señor Director:

Con profundo estupor me he enterado de que la Municipalidad de Lo Barnechea decidió impedir temporalmente que buses del Transantiago ingresen a ciertas áreas de su comuna, pues los vecinos consideran que los buses molestan durante la mañana.

Lo que parece inaceptable es que esos servicios son utilizados por los obreros y trabajadoras domésticas que necesitan acceder a sus trabajos luego de un viaje que toma más de una hora desde el otro lado de la ciudad. Aún más, el área que se está vedando contiene una pronunciada subida.

El alcalde, en lugar de tener una visión ciudadana del tema, ha instalado un cartel que dice «Prohibido entrar buses», a pesar de que hay paraderos de los servicios respectivos instalados en el sector y ha comenzado una campaña de multas contra el operador de buses para convencerlo de que no le conviene seguir operando. La magnitud de esta injusticia es notable. ¿Han pensado los residentes «afectados» cuánto rato duermen las personas a quienes se obligará a subir caminando ese largo trayecto, y cuánto tiempo deben gastar en desplazarse (y en qué condiciones) para alcanzar su lugar de trabajo?

Previamente, el ex alcalde de Providencia también instaló un cartel en que se indicaba la prohibición del ingreso de buses a un sector de su comuna, y más adelante impidió pintar pistas rojas para buses, pues no le gustaban, a pesar de la probada efectividad de éstas. Finalmente, hace pocos días conversaba con un tercer alcalde sobre la conveniencia de desplazar un paradero hacia el otro lado de una avenida, pero ello no era posible, pues el otro lado correspondía a otra comuna y, por tanto, no estaba en su competencia.

Un tema que suele estar subyacente en estos conflictos en el sector oriente es la necesidad de instalar puntos de regulación de frecuencia que permiten que la frecuencia de servicio no sea pareja todo el día y que los conductores tengan unos pocos minutos de descanso. Esto exige que durante el día unos pocos buses permanezcan estacionados, lo que a los vecinos les irrita. Es preocupante que los planos reguladores municipales no contemplen un espacio para esta necesidad.

Si bien el caso de La Dehesa ha alcanzado un acuerdo temporal hasta marzo, en que los buses podrán ingresar al sector sin ser multados -los vecinos estarán de vacaciones, presumo-, todos estos casos demuestran la urgente necesidad de que en Santiago (y en otras grandes urbes) se cuente con una autoridad metropolitana de transporte. En el caso de Santiago, al menos se debiera dotar al Transantiago de una clara capacidad de ejecución. Su rol actual, de mero coordinador, muy frecuentemente le impide empujar iniciativas que velen por el bien común (y en este caso el sentido común).
 
 
Juan Carlos Muñoz
Profesor Departamento Ingeniería de Transporte y Logística
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
 
 
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Fuente: Carta a El Mercurio, 04 de Febrero de 2013.
 
 
Señor Director:

Me refiero a la carta del señor Juan Carlos Muñoz, en la cual me adjudica un perjuicio a los usuarios de Transantiago, como resultado de mi defensa de la tranquilidad y seguridad de los vecinos de Lo Barnechea. Al respecto, debo indicarle que seguiré actuando en esa misma línea porque, entre otras cosas, para eso fui electo alcalde de la comuna.

Los líos de Transantiago los heredamos todos los capitalinos y el señor Muñoz debe saberlo bien, toda vez que asesoró a los gobiernos de la Concertación en estas materias durante varios años.

No tengo ninguna duda de la capacidad técnica de todo el equipo académico que trabajó en Transantiago, así como tampoco tengo dudas acerca de que una mesa de trabajo con los entonces alcaldes, les hubiera ahorrado muchas humillaciones a nuestros compatriotas.
 
 
Felipe Guevara Stephens
Alcalde de Lo Barnechea
 
 
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Fuente: Carta a El Mercurio, 05 de Febrero de 2013. Versión original sin editar.
 
 
Señor Director:

En su carta de hoy lunes, el alcalde de Lo Barnechea parece mofarse de la asesoría que presté durante el 2003 y 2004 al diseño de Transantiago. Sin embargo, esto no me inhabilita para exigir que nuestras autoridades velen por el bien común y no sólo por el de sus propios electores. El Alcalde desconoce que nuestra constitución exige que “Las personas son iguales en dignidad y derechos” lo que el Alcalde coarta al generar diferencias entre los vecinos de Lo Barnechea y personas modestas que vienen a servirlas. También parece desconocer que “La finalidad del Estado es promover el bien común, para lo cual debe contribuir a crear las condiciones sociales que permitan a todos y a cada uno de los integrantes de la comunidad nacional su mayor realización posible”. A pesar de ello el Alcalde indica que él se debe a “la tranquilidad y seguridad de los vecinos de Lo Barnechea” y deja por lo tanto implícito que poco le importan los trabajadores que acuden a diario a trabajar a su comuna pero que no residen allí. ¿O acaso cree que esos individuos son delincuentes que alteran la seguridad? A juzgar por sus hechos da la sensación que no todos los vecinos de Lo Barnechea son igual de importantes, pues las inversiones que el municipio realiza en vías para automovilistas en La Dehesa distan significativamente del esfuerzo del Municipio por mejorar las condiciones de los vecinos de Cerro 18 que mayoritariamente requieren de transporte público. ¿Tal vez el Alcalde considera que ese grupo no votó por él y por lo tanto no es parte de su preocupación?

Yo creo que el Alcalde no sólo no cumple con lo que se espera de una autoridad del Estado sino que además se equivoca al interpretar la sensibilidad de la mayoría de sus electores que sí les preocupa el bienestar de empleadas domésticas, obreros, jardineros que se desempeñan en su comuna. Me es difícil eludir además que el sector de Lo Barnechea al que nos referimos es de los más ricos del país. Yo esperaría en esas circunstancias una mirada más bondadosa hacia quienes están en mayor desventaja y no esta actitud displicente. En una ciudad tan segregada como la nuestra, quisiera que Lo Barnechea saliera a su encuentro y proveyera las mejores condiciones posibles para ellos.

Y si el alcalde no está preocupado de este grupo de personas, ¿entonces quién? Esta es una realidad que no es privativa de Lo Barnechea. En demasiadas ocasiones se advierte la poca sensibilidad de los municipios por los avatares de quienes transitan por su comuna sin residir en ella. Es el Ministerio de Transportes el que en definitiva debe velar por el bien común en estas circunstancias. La ley indica que las Municipalidades deben “aplicar las disposiciones sobre transporte y tránsito públicos, dentro de la comuna, en la forma que determinen las leyes y las normas técnicas de carácter general que dicte el ministerio respectivo”.

Lo más importante que esta discusión ilustra es la necesidad de contar con una autoridad metropolitana que coordine y gestione todos los modos de transporte velando por el bien común en toda la ciudad.
 
 
Juan Carlos Muñoz
Profesor Departamento de Ingeniería de Transporte y Logística
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
 
 
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Fuente: Carta a El Mercurio, 08 de Febrero de 2013.
 
 
Señor Director:

Si la avenida está diseñada con doble pista de subida y doble pista de bajada, más caleteras en casi todo el trayecto, es evidente que se pensó para alto tráfico y, por lo tanto, requiere conectividad con recorridos del Transantiago. No entiendo que las personas que no quieren ruidos de micros hayan elegido vivir ahí en vez de una calle interior.

¿Cómo van a llegar los niños que vuelven en las tardes después del colegio con sus mochilas y bolsos de deporte, las empleadas domésticas en la mañana, obreros, trabajadores, guardias y otros, a los numerosos condominios y edificios nuevos que se han construido y se construirán en el sector? Caminando una larga distancia, en subida y sin vereda, pues en ese tramo no existe. ¿Cómo regresarán a sus casas los trabajadores después de la jornada laboral? Mucho más cansados, mucho más tarde y en invierno a oscuras, luego de caminar un buen trayecto de más de dos kilómetros, restándoles a ellos, con esta medida tan absurda, tiempo de descanso para que unos pocos puedan dormir tranquilos en La Dehesa.

Era una tranquilidad para las mamás del sector, especialmente para las que trabajan, saber que la asesora del hogar iba a llegar temprano para encargarle a los menores que quedan en la casa, también saber que sus hijos más grandes podían llegar en micro. Por ahora se acabó la tranquilidad. ¿Qué entiende el alcalde por bien común? ¿El de unos pocos o el de una gran mayoría?

Verónica Aspillaga
 
 
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Fuente: Carta a El Mercurio, 09 de Febrero de 2013.
 
 
Señor Director:

Con el propósito de explicar el tema del Transantiago, me gustaría aclarar algunos puntos. El recorrido de los servicios C09 y C16 tiene como punto final Av. La Dehesa con Av. Paseo de Pie Andino, desde el año 2007 cuando se inició la operación del Transantiago. Estos recorridos fueron solicitados por la Municipalidad de Lo Barnechea al Ministerio de Transportes. Adicionalmente, en dicha época, y en coordinaciones sostenidas por la Municipalidad, se logró que la empresa RedBus llegara a un acuerdo con las inmobiliarias del sector para que se les dieran facilidades de terreno con el propósito de estacionar sus buses y dar condiciones dignas a sus conductores. No obstante, la inmobiliaria con la que se logró el acuerdo dejó claramente establecido que según se fuera desarrollando el terreno, iba a requerir del lugar y finalmente la empresa debería dejar ese aparcadero.

A lo largo del tiempo, debido a problemas entre particulares, RedBus decidió cambiar el recorrido sin consultarle a la municipalidad, con lo que se generó un problema mayor, ya que parte de este nuevo recorrido pasa por sectores residenciales que ponen en riesgo la seguridad de las familias que habitan ese lugar debido a la estrechez de las calles por donde transitan. Ejemplo de lo anterior son todos los niños que salen a jugar a la calle, sobre todo ahora en vacaciones.

Para solucionar este problema, la municipalidad logró un acuerdo momentáneo con una inmobiliaria para mantener un nuevo estacionamiento para los buses de la empresa RedBus durante los próximos meses. La solución a este problema es que la empresa RedBus gestione un terreno en este sector y que Transantiago también aporte soluciones contractuales que le permitan a la empresa continuar con el necesario servicio. Por nuestra parte, continuaremos velando por la seguridad de todos nuestros vecinos que para nosotros es lo más importante.

Alejandro Muller
Director de Tránsito
Municipalidad de Lo Barnechea
 
 
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Fuente: Carta a El Mercurio, 11 de Febrero de 2013.
 
 
Señor Director:

En su carta del sábado, el director de Tránsito de Lo Barnechea comenta que la raíz del problema de los recorridos que el alcalde decidió intervenir se encuentra en la búsqueda de un nuevo lugar donde unos pocos buses puedan estacionarse y los conductores tomar un descanso. Me preocupa que la localización de estos espacios no esté determinada por el plano regulador de cada comuna, puesto que al omitirlos se siembra la semilla de un conflicto como el que aquí se ha gatillado.

Sólo me quedan cuatro preguntas para el Municipio:
¿Por qué le preocupa la convivencia de niños y buses en esta zona, y no parecen molestarle en Cerro 18 y La Hermita, en que buses de mayor tamaño circulan incluso frente a colegios?

¿Por qué se considera que estos buses de ocho metros son más peligrosos para la comunidad que los múltiples camiones de alto tonelaje que transitan por la zona? —en el área se están construyendo varios edificios—.

El municipio optó por prohibir el tránsito de buses por este sector. ¿No parece más razonable exigir y fiscalizar una velocidad máxima en todas las zonas de su comuna en que buses transitan por áreas residenciales o de alto flujo peatonal?

Si se accediera a su intención de cerrar el sector para buses forzando a la empresa a eliminar el servicio, ¿cómo piensan dar acceso a nanas, obreros y estudiantes sin opción a auto? ¿Insisten, como indica el alcalde, que éste no es su problema?

Las comunas que no acogen una diversidad de ciudadanos se convierten en guetos en los cuales los extraños son percibidos como amenazas, y, como dice Humberto Maturana, el lenguaje va inevitablemente creando la realidad.

Juan Carlos Muñoz
Profesor Departamento de Ingeniería de Transporte y Logística
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
 
 
 
 
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Opinion Pieces: Before Governments Announces Big Infrastructure Projects

Opinion Pieces: since 2007, Prof. David Hensher has written an opinion column in the Australasian Bus and Coach magazine, where he monthly discusses a lot of different transport-related hot topics. In this section we are revisiting these columns.

December 2011

In recent months I have noticed the growing number of major transport infrastructure projects that have gone rather quiet on patronage forecasts. Curiosity got the better of me, and so I decided to do some simple calculations myself on the accessibility benefits of some of these announced major projects (including some that are already under construction). I chose to focus on the travel times (door to door) that are expected be on offer once these investments are in place. A reasonable assumption to make is that the travel time is a critical reason for choosing one form of transport over another form. If the door-to-door travel time is noticeably worse compared to other available forms of transport (especially existing public transport), then one might ask why we are investing in such new transport infrastructure. While we all believe that greater investment in public transport is necessary and is a good idea, we might ponder whether we are getting value for money from some of the active investments across the nation.

My little experiment involved taking a number of key locations and times of day where trips might start and finish, and to calculate the travel times (access, waiting, main mode linehaul, egress) for alternative public transport modes. The obvious comparison is between a bus service and a rail service. Importantly we have assumed that an existing bus service will continue to be offered when a new rail project is up and running.

What I found to my astonishment was how many times the travel time door to door by an existing bus or rail (where it existed) service was quicker than any of the new public transport infrastructure projects, both in the peak and in the off-peak. Indeed, for one very large and expensive rail project, I could not find any situation where it was quicker to use the new service than the existing bus services (including services by bus on dedicated lanes).

Why then are we spending so much money of these very expensive projects if they do not increase accessibility and reduce congestion on the roads? Well, maybe some people will use them for other reasons, but history may well show that we have spent a lot of money for little gain.
 
Food for thought
 
 
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Event Wrap Up: General Assembly at TRB13

Our General Assembly this year was held on Tuesday January 15th, at the EMBARQ office at Washington DC. We had a record of audience, with more than 30 participants who had the chance to observe and give feedback to the progress reached by the projects in the Centre. Several advisors were invited to the meeting: Paulo Custodio, Brendan Finn, Gerhard Menckhoff, Shivanand Swamy, Sam Zimmerman, Walter Colombini, and also an important group of key people:
 

• Suzy Balloussier (Fetranspor)
• Amit Bhatt (EMBARQ India)
• Carlos De Paco (BID)
• Stephan Hassold (University of Auckland)
• Jorge Jara (EMBARQ Andino)
• Yang Jiang (China Sustainable Transport Center)
• Adriana Lobo (CTS Mexico)
• Abel López (CTS México)
• Carlos Mojica (BID)
• Fernando Paez (CTS México)
• Madhav Pai (EMBARQ India)
• Marco Priego (CTS México)
• Pilar Rodríguez (Metrocali)
• José Viegas (International Transport Forum)
• Zhigao Wang (China Sustainable Transport Center)
• Ruishan Zheng (China Sustainable Transport Center)

This is the agenda of the meeting with all the presentations:
 

 
 
 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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South Australian Government bus strategy wrong: researcher

Source: Flinders Indaily
 
One of Australia’s most respected public transport academics has backed criticism of the State Government’s decision to competitively tender Adelaide’s public transport bus services. Professor David Hensher, Director of the Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies at the University of Sydney and member of our BRT Centre of Excellence, agreed with advice provided to the South Australian Government to not competitively tender the state’s public transport bus services. This advice was ignored by the Government, which competitively tendered the services in 2010.
 
Since the new contracts began there has been widespread dissatisfaction with the performance of the bus system, and patronage has declined significantly since 2010. The advice, from former public transport chief Heather Webster and two former consultants to South Australia’s transport department, favoured a process of negotiated contract extensions.
 
Prof Hensher told Indaily that three rounds of competitive tendering in Adelaide had ironed out the cost inefficiencies and lack of service incentives under the previous public monopoly model. “But all the research on competitive tendering versus negotiated performance-based contracts is showing that one cannot squeeze any more out of the cost efficiency stone after three rounds and the risk of declines in service quality is real if this is pushed,” he said. He said competitive tendering resulted in the loss of a trusting partnership between government and operators. Prof Hensher also agreed with Webster’s criticism of the government’s investment in light and heavy rail, as compared to the bus system. He pointed to a study he had undertaken comparing the operating costs of Sydney railways with buses, both private and public. The study concluded that a train costs about 14 times more to operate per service kilometre than a bus. Statistics also showed that the Sydney buses carried 13 per cent more passenger trips than trains, meaning that trains are close to 16 times more cost-inefficient compared to buses. “This is a staggeringly different sum and raises some serious questions about value for money in investing in rail versus bus,” Prof Hensher said.
 
Webster questioned the government’s spending on trams and trains, when the bus network shouldered so much of the public transport burden in Adelaide, and at a much lower comparative cost. Figures provided to Indaily by the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure showed that in 2011/12, buses were responsible for 50.99 million boardings, while trams accounted for 2.9 million and trains 9.62 million.
 
Prof Hensher provided Indaily with data on the performance of Melbourne’s public sector buses, which shows considerable growth based on a negotiated contract process, under which service improvements are agreed between government and industry. By contrast, Adelaide’s form line is going in the opposite direction. Government data shows a steady increase in patronage over the first two complete rounds of competitive tendering, followed by a sharp drop-off in the past two years.
 
Transport Services Minister Chloë Fox defended the Government’s decision to competitively tender the services. “The state’s primary responsibility is to the taxpayer and I fully understand why the Government chose to test the market for value for money,” Fox said. “The tendering of contracts also provides the opportunity to introduce a range of contractual changes towards the improvement of services, an opportunity that was exercised in the recent tendering in areas including financial incentives/penalties, range of services provided and key performance benchmarks. This is shown tangibly in the much stronger penalty provisions which now apply.”
 
 
 
 
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Event wrap up: BRT workshop at Pereira, Colombia

 
Juan Carlos Muñoz, the Director of our BRT Centre of Excellence visited Pereira on November 26 – 27 to give two courses.
 
The first one intended to show the research and tools developed by the CoE to the Megabús authorities (Pereira’s transit system) and to bus operators. The workshop was given on November 26, from 9:00 to 18:00 and had 25 participants. The following topics were covered:
 
* BRT Corridors Around the World
* Challenges in Transit Systems’ integration
* Design of Express Services
* Real Time Control in Buses
* Route Election in Public Transport
* Shift assignment for bus drivers
 
 
The second workshop, called «Applications of Operations Research in Public Transport Systems», took place at the Technological University of Pereira on Tuesday November 27 from 8:00 to 17:00 and attracted around 35 people (professors and students). The main goal was to show applications of classic Operations Research tools in the design, operation and control of public transport systems. The following topics were covered in the Workshop: «Express Services Design Optimization», «Real time bus control optimization», «Cutting planes application for bus timetabling», «Fleet and driver scheduling optimization for a public transport system «, «Design of a Bidding Process of a Public Transport System as a Minimum Cost Network Flow Problem».
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Northern beaches of Sydney still in "first gear'' over BRT

Source: Manly Daily
 
A Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system for the northern beaches is set to become a reality but councils say 10 years is too long to wait. The state government has identified a BRT system as an appropriate option for relieving congestion on the northern beaches. But it has suggested a timeline of between five and 10 years for its implementation, subject to feasibility.
 
The BRT was included in the NSW Long Term Transport Master Plan released on December 13, 2012.
 
Michael Regan, president of Shore Regional Organisation of Councils (SHOROC) which represents Manly, Mosman, Pittwater and Warringah councils, said 10 years was too long for frustrated residents to wait. «It seems like we’re stuck in first gear when it comes to fixing our transport problems», Cr Regan said. «However, we would welcome acceleration of the proposed northern beaches link should it be identified it can be fast-tracked with private sector involvement», he said.
 
Manly Liberal MP Mike Baird said Infrastructure NSW was assessing whether the private sector could help deliver the project faster. This assessment was expected to take 18 months and was focussed around delivery of a new Spit Bridge and tunnel under Mosman. Mr Baird welcomed the inclusion of the BRT in the plan. «It’s no longer a thought but a reality that is going to happen», Mr Baird said. Consultation on the BRT will continue next year with a public meeting scheduled for January 30.
 
MASTER PLAN:

• Sets transport priorities for next 20 years
• Includes development of regional transport plans and draft bus strategy
• Also second harbour rail crossing, delivery of Opal card and ferry improvements

 
 
 
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Lagos, the most populous city in Nigeria, is set to extend BRT lane to Ikorodu

Source: Channels Television
 
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, says the state government is set to extend the existing Bus Rapid Transit lane from Mile 12 to Ikorodu. He said the project, which would span two years, had already been awarded.
 
Photo: Marina BRT Station Lagos Island, by railwaybuilder at Panoramio.
 
Mobereola said this at a stakeholders’ forum in Ikorodu, Lagos on Thursday. He said the forum was to discuss the imminence of the extension of the lane as well as to seek community’s cooperation in the course of the project. The LAMATA boss said, “The existing dual carriageway will be expanded to three lanes with a BRT scheme.” He said with the road reconstruction, 15 new bus stations and three terminals to be located at Mile 12, Agric and Ikorodu would be provided. He also said there would be a bus depot at Majidun, while construction of nine new bridges and traffic lane on either side of the existing two-lane dual-carriageway would be carried out.
 
Moboreola said, “The BRT will occupy the two innermost lanes. There will also be seven pedestrian bridges to access BRT stations as well as nine pedestrian crossing points. Also, 12 new U-turns will be provided to allow for easy traffic flow towards Lagos and Ikorodu in addition to street lighting.” He said when completed, 265 BRT buses would be provided and would operate between 6am and 10pm daily, adding that an estimated 160,000 passengers would be carried per day. He said, “This corridor links the fast-growing Ikorodu town to a major centre such as Ikeja, Oshodi and the Island.
 
“The project will facilitate transit-oriented developments around the Ikorodu corridor and hence generate employment in the much needed area.” He sought the cooperation of all stakeholders along the corridor as well as the general public during the constitution.
 
Member of House of Representatives and Chairman, House Committee on the Diaspora, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said the project was long awaited, stressing that when completed, it would address the transportation challenges in the area. She urged Lagosians to obey the state’s new traffic laws as part of the measures by the government to restore sanity to the roads.
 
 
 
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Talking Transit: Driver Training, Fuel Efficiency, and Vehicle Maintenance

Source: EMBARQ India
 
EMBARQ India and APSRTC conduct workshop for bus transport professionals
 
Visakhapatnam: Representatives from over 20 city bus transport agencies, private operators, and other stakeholders, including organisations in Indore, Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai, Coimbatore, Rajkot and Naya Raipur attended a two-day training workshop conducted by EMBARQ India with support from the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC), in Visakhapatnam on 30th and 31st August 2012. This workshop, on driver training, fuel efficiency, and vehicle maintenance, was the second of EMBARQ India’s Talking Transit series, an initiative of the Bus Karo Plus programme.
 
Under the JnNURM scheme, the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) has assisted many cities to initiate or expand their city bus operations. In the decades to come, bus-based transport will be integral to urban public transport owing to its relatively low cost, quick implementation, and flexibility. However, bus transit agencies continue to face challenges owing to several operational, financial, and administrative issues. The workshop looked at strengthening bus operations with a focus on driver training and fuel efficiency. Experts from local and international agencies spoke on the subject. Thanks to improved operational efficiency, APSRTC in Visakhapatnam has been achieving an efficient 5.22 kilometers per liter (kmpl) on its city routes over the last decade. This is contrary to the popular belief that fuel economy is solely dependent on vehicle maintenance or purchasing new buses with improved technology. Operational efficiency saves the corporation close to 9 percent of the total cost of operations.
 
The workshop focused on APSRTC’s experiences and the lessons learnt from their operational best practices that would help other city bus transit agencies improve their transport services, passenger safety, financial viability, and the impact on the environment. This workshop and the Talking Transit workshop series are supported by a grant from the FedEx Corporation.
 
Day One
 
Day one of the workshop started with an inaugural addresses by Sudhakar Rao, Executive Director, ASRTU, Rama Krishna, Executive Director, APSRTC, and Sandeep Garg, UNDP. Amit Bhatt, Strategy Head – Urban Transport, EMBARQ India, introduced the Bus Karo Plus programme as a learning network and a platform for the sharing of best practices in bus based transport around the country. The programme consists of Talking Transit, a workshop series; Mentoring Transit, assisting agencies in implementing pilot projects; and Learning Transit, developing and disseminating training material. Being the second workshop in the Talking Transit series, Amit presented a brief recap of the first workshop held in Bangalore in February, in partnership with the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation, on best practices in designing bus terminals, stops, depots, and other facilities for improving the quality of urban bus services.
 
Following this, K. Chandrasekhar, Chief Mechanical Engineer, APSRTC, spoke on his agency’s experience in achieving fuel economy, specifically focusing on the technical controls, targets, and MIS. By using the VEMAS vehicle maintenance software, under-performing vehicles and negative trends in fuel efficiency are identified. This has a major role to play in improving the system wide fuel efficiency. In addition, routine maintenance of vehicles take place on a regular basis to check for fuel tank leakages, condition of fuel filters, and various other maintenance parameters. Dedicated mechanics are present at all depots for technical assistance with specific maintenance issues.
 
Y. Jagadeesh Babu, Regional Manager, APSRTC spoke on the managerial controls set in place by which the agency is able to monitor fuel economy targets, and evaluate performance standards. The three-month training that APSRTC makes their drivers go through incorporates classroom and on-road training. Safety and fuel economy are emphasised throughout the training. Some of the buses used for training have in-built equipment that shows the trainees their fuel economy rating immediately after every driving session. Apart from the intense training, drivers not achieving targets during regular service have to periodically attend refresher-training modules. APSRTC also counsels drivers who have not performed well each month, and has developed a motivational film called ‘Indhanam’ to help drivers understand the importance of fuel conservation and the basics of engine behavior with regard to fuel. Monetary incentives are given to the most fuel-efficient drivers each month.
 
Mohammad Haneef, a former driver who is now a trainer for APSRTC, spoke on the driver-training course developed by APSRTC, based on simple principles of acceleration and safe driving. He presented his methods in training drivers on quick changing of gears, using the high torque output of engines, optimal driving methods using ‘power-point’ and ‘momentum’ concepts; as well as the in-vehicle requirements such as a raised platform near the accelerator pedal for adequate foot support and thus optimal acceleration, and ergonomic, well-ventilated seats.
 
Site Visit
 
After lunch, there was a site visit to the Maddilapalem depot and workshop where the group was taken around the facility and given a glimpse of the training facilities developed by APSRTC, including a simulator that gives the drivers a practical demonstration of how much fuel could be saved as a result of optimum acceleration. A demonstration of fuel efficient driving took pace with the group being taken on a bus ride, and the fuel efficiency of the ride measured afterwards.
 
Day Two
 
Day two of the workshop started with an early morning walk along Visakhapatnam’s coastal road. This road is designated as a no vehicle zone from 5:30 am – 7:30 am every morning. The municipal corporation has installed public bicycles, free for use along the corridor. B Ramanjaneyulu, IAS, Commissioner, GVMC introduced this innovative program in November last year to encourage community participation and create awareness about environmental management and pollution control. Several local residents use this time and space for meditation, as well.
 
Continuing with the sessions of the workshop, EMBARQ India staff presented on performance monitoring for city bus systems, using case studies from Bhuvaneshwar, Delhi, Hubli-Dharwad, Mumbai, and Visakhapatnam.
 
PP Rajendran, MD, Madras Transport Corporation, presented on the environmental impacts faced by the growing number of vehicles, and the importance of driver training in reducing fuel emissions and accidents caused by buses. He showcased the formal training structure implemented in the state of Tamil Nadu, focusing on psychological training through yoga and meditation, interpersonal relationships and team building, personal health and family welfare, eco-friendly driving methods for improved fuel efficiency, safer driving and accident prevention, and lab-based training for improved knowledge of the engine and the vehicle.
 
K. Chandrasekhar, APSRTC, then presented on fuel receipts, accountability and the various issues related to the same. In addition to fuel efficiency in driving methods, another major area of cost saving is the adequate stock keeping and storage of fuel at depots. The presentation involved accountability, storage, and vigilance of fuel, detailing procedures for stock keeping and measurement of fuel at the time of delivery, and the use of advanced software for managing the fuel accounting system. APSRTC also has a multi-layered impurity detection method used for advance record keeping, and multiple layers of security and scrutiny. All this helps in achieving negligible losses in fuel.
 
RH Minhas, Delhi Transport Corpotation, spoke on the lessons learnt from Delhi’s experience of conversation of the bus fleet from diesel to CNG, and the resulting benefits, like lower operating costs after initial investment, lower fuel costs, lower emissions, and safety of usage owing to its narrow flammable temperature window of 5-15%.
 
In closing, Amit Bhatt spoke about the way forward from this workshop, reiterating EMBARQ India’s Bus Karo Plus initiative aimed at facilitating a shared learning network between cities, and stressed EMBARQ India’s commitment to organising similar workshops on related topics once every six months.
 
Related Links
 
Presentations from the workshop
Photos from the workshop
 
 
 
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Using BRT as a Transit Band-Aid

Source: The Atlantic Cities
 
Photo: Flickr user adrimcm under a creative commons license
 
When a new metro line opened up in Istanbul a couple months ago, it mostly served as a reminder of something the city has been awaiting for the better part of a decade. That would be the massive Marmaray project, a rail tunnel beneath the Bosphorous strait that will link the European and Asian sides of the intercontinental city. The delays have been reasonable — crews have had to deal with tricky geography, safety precautions required by a nearby fault line, and archeological discoveries made during the digging — but the initial phase is still a year from opening, and the full deal several more.
 
The city wisely recognized that the immediacy of its traffic problem demanded some sort of short-term solution. Its response was to lay down, within a couple of years, a bus-rapid transit system known as the Metrobus. The 26-mile line operates in dedicated lanes along the D-100 expressway and connects both sides of the city across the Bosphorous Bridge. By most measures it’s been a great success, according to a recent profile of the system in the Journal of Transport Geography.
 
For starters, it’s pretty fast. Except on the bridge, where it enters mixed traffic, Metrobus nears speeds of 50 miles an hour and completes its entire route in about 60 minutes. That’s at least twice as fast as cars travel in the corridor, and also considerably faster than the previous bus and ferry system. It’s also convenient: an estimated 10 percent of the entire metro population lives within a 10-minute walk of the nearest station.
 
The frequency is almost ceaseless. High-capacity Mercedes buses, which can fit up to 200 passengers at a time, arrive every 30 seconds during rush hour on the European side (and every 45 seconds at the bridge crossing). During morning peak, ridership tops 30,000 each way, and the system as a whole serves more than 620,000 passengers a day. EMBARQ puts the total figure much higher. Still the bus is crowded; it’s not unusual for waiting passengers to board the third bus they see.
 
Photo: Istanbul Metrobüs: first intercontinental bus rapid transit. Journal of Transport Geography, 24 (Sept 2012), pp. 58-66. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2012.05.009
 
The city’s mayor, Kadir Topbaş, recently noted that with the numbers being handled by the Metrobus, the corridor should have a light rail system of its own. Evidently the bridge over the city’s Golden Horn inlet can’t accommodate rail, so instead Topbaş is proposing a plan that attaches the buses together, so they form a sort of «metrobus-train.» With frequencies already so close together, it’s hard to see how that idea would do anything but waste some rope.
 
Istanbul isn’t the first city to try BRT as a transit band-aid and realize what it really needed was a suture. Ottawa recently went through a similar experience with its own BRT system. The city proposed a (Canadian) $2.1 billion light rail to increase capacity — a project so expensive that transit writer Yonah Freemark wondered if it wouldn’t have been more fiscally prudent to choose light rail from the start. «For other cities considering investing in reserved-bus corridors before light rail, Ottawa’s may be a cautionary tale,» he wrote.
 
Still, if Istanbul dismissed such a caution, it would be hard to fault the city. For starters, it didn’t need BRT to prove the value of mass transit. Ottawa’s BRT showed that transit could capture a quarter of the city’s transportation share, but in Istanbul, that figure is now 50 percent, and was high even under the old system of slower buses. Meanwhile the city had already decided to invest heavily in the Marmaray project, which is estimated to cost up to (American) $3 billion.
 
Rather, Istanbul’s major concern moving forward should be getting people off its enormously congested roads. Public transit has half the city’s transportation share, yes, but only 4 percent of that share belongs to rail. The completion of Marmaray, and its connection to the existing metro, light rail, and Metrobus lines, is expected to boost rail ridership closer to a quarter of all transit — that’s a big cultural change. To date, only 9 percent of Metrobus riders have shifted to the mode from car use, as many as shifted there from trains.
 
The real cautionary tale of Istanbul may be the way it handled highways to make way for the Metrobus. It did give the system dedicated lanes throughout the corridor (except for the bridge), but it did so by narrowing — as opposed to removing — other lanes. That created loads of induced demand, as the old buses left the mixed lanes, inviting more cars onto the squished highways. And by refusing to make room for a dedicated BRT lane, the bridge authorities further increased congestion, decreased BRT efficiency, and perpetuated the city’s road-first mindset.
 
Istanbul seems to have successfully weathered a tough era of congestion by implementing BRT as a transition to rail. Soon it will have the high-capacity trunk rail line that’s long been needed. The city’s next challenge will be making sure people get off the roads and use it.
 
 
 
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World Bank offers to become lead adviser for rapid bus system in Karachi, Pakistan

Source: The Express Tribune
 
KARACHI: The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a part of the World Bank Group, has offered to become the lead advisor for the Bus Rapid Transit System, which aims to reduce travelling time by half in Karachi.
 
The IFC’s involvement gives a boost to the Rs2 billion project, which includes a dedicated lane for buses on a vital road for the first time in Karachi. “This is great news for us,” said the head of the city’s enterprise and investment office, Shoaib Waqar. He felt that financial giant’s involvement would lend credibility to the project and it would be easier to raise money.
 
Under the project, a dedicated lane will be built from Dawood Chowrangi in Landhi to Numaish Chowrangi and Lucky Star via 8000 Road, Korangi Road and FTC. It will be called the Yellow Line.
 
The bus system envisages large buses running in middle of the road on either side of the green belt. Around 200 buses will run on both sides of the track at an interval of a few minutes. The middle of the road will be dedicated to the buses. New Jersey barriers will be installed to stop motorcycles and cars from entering it.
 
But many government-sponsored transport projects have come to a standstill. The poor condition of green buses and metro coaches are an example of official apathy towards mass transit. Even this bus system has been stalled for years. Construction of stations in the middle of the roads and management of traffic also remains an issue.
 
An amount of Rs500 million has also been allocated for the rapid bus transit system in the city’s latest budget.
 
The Yellow Line runs from Landhi to Saddar and is 22.4 kilometres long. Once it is complete, around 13,000 passengers will be using it every hour. The average speed of traffic in the city is between 14km and 17km per hour whereas BRTS runs at 25km to 30km per hour.
 
 
 
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New project: development of an assignment tool for a public transport network

The main objective of this project, led by our Director Juan Carlos Muñoz, is to develop a computational tool to estimate accurately the demand for mass public transport services, in order to support decision making on investment projects.
 
To achieve this main objective a methodology based on econometric models incorporating endogeneity was designed. The key variables (both exogenous and endogenous) explaining the behaviour of public transport system passengers consider: (i) elements related to service levels of the various alternative routes and modes; (ii) socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of individuals; (iii) variables associated with the topology of the network influences between travelers and levels of overcrowding inside the vehicle affecting the perceived quality of service, and (iv) latent variables.
 
The main two products developed as part of this project will be: (i) a computational tool for planning public transport systems (along with their respective user manual, installation and training for the end user) for tactical and strategic analysis of mass transit systems, mainly applicable to large and medium cities in size, and (ii) a web platform to provide updated information to passengers of the system so that they have more and better information when deciding their trip according to the attributes each respondent considers relevant.
 
The first product, defined as commercial software for mass transit network planning, can be installed in conventional PCs available on the market, using a standard operating system. This software tool will be complemented with a user manual, which not only contains the instructions for its proper use, but also incorporates the theoretical models underlying the invention and which mark the difference with alternative products currently available in the urban transport planning market.
 
The research and development stage of the project started in May 2012, and will last three years considering a total budget of 600 million pesos. The developing and research team is comprised by professionals from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and Universidad Diego Portales.
 
Watch the following video that explains the project (in Spanish)
 

 
 
 
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Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority rolls out customer satisfaction plan

Source: GulfNews
 
Text messages to bus drivers in their mother tongues to drive motivation
 
Dubai: In a new initiative to raise customer satisfaction regarding its bus services, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is now sending text messages to its bus drivers in their mother tongues to keep them motivated.
 
The text messages are sent to the drivers’ mobile phones directly from the Operation Control Centre (OCC), which also uses the latest technology to monitor every movement of around 1,250 public transport buses that are in operation.
 
The initiative is part of RTA’s effort to improve the level of safety on buses and reduce the number of accidents.
 
Eisa Abdul Rahman Al Dossary, CEO of RTA’s Public Transport Agency, said, “As part of our efforts to improve mass transit services and uplift the standards of safety and security on board public buses, we have recently launched a distinct package of initiatives primarily aimed to push customer satisfaction rating to as much as 87 per cent, and achieve the targeted bus drivers’ satisfaction rating of 75 per cent this year.”
 
Al Dossary said that the focus of the idea is to stay connected with the drivers by using the latest technology and giving them regular feedback on their behaviour and performance that will allow them to improve continuously.
 
“The system will send two text messages to drivers in each shift via RTA Bus Control Centre in a bid to encourage drivers and uplift their morale, reduce traffic accidents and accordingly achieve higher levels of safety and security for passengers and road users,” Al Dossary added.
 
One of the targets of the initiative is to ensure the number of complaints does not exceed 22 per 100,000 passengers.
 
The Public Transport Agency has also distributed brochures informing drivers on how to avoid accidents, while motivating them to achieve the best scores as laid down by the driver reward manual.
 
According to the manual, drivers are rated and rewarded according to their annual performance, which is monitored live.
 
Al Dossary launched the initiative in person by sending the first SMS to drivers through the OCC.
 
 
 
 
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New BRT Webinars!

 
The Across Latitudes and Cultures BRT Centre of Excellence is pleased to announce a monthly webinar series to share timely public transit research and encourage ongoing collaboration. The series is open to anyone and will address issues relevant to researchers and practitioners. Please share this announcement with your extended network.
 
The first webinar was:
 
BRT Around the World – Update 2012 and Future Evolution
November 30th, 2012 at 1300 CLST (11 EST)
Dario Hidalgo, PhD, Director of Research and Practice, EMBARQ
 
See summary, bio and presentation below.
 
Mark your calendars for the second in the series on December 14th at 1300 CLST on which Juan Carlos Munoz will present the Centre’s new methodology and results on tackling bus bunching. Here you can find full information about this new webinar.
 
Please email Laurel at lpaget@uc.cl with any questions or future topic suggestions.
 
 
***
 
BRT Around the World – Update 2012 and Future Evolution
 
The BRT Global Database, complied by ALC-BRT Center of Excellence and EMBARQ with support from IEA and SIBRT, indicates that there are 147 cities with bus corridors (inclusive of BRT and BHLS), The presentation will show some highlights of the database, including summary data on key indicators, geographical distribution, and recent progress. Key systems according to performance will be highlighted. Also some information of key new systems in Latin America: the expansions of Metrobus (México) and TransMilenio (Bogotá), as well as the introduction of full BRT in Rio de Janeiro (Transoeste). Some relevant issues in BRT expansion will be commented: the strong advance of rail systems -which seems to have stalled BRT new construction in some places; and the high occupancy and deterioration of level of service in some iconic systems like Bogotá and México City. Finally, the opportunities arising in the field will be presented: surge of integrated systems, introduction of newer propulsion technologies, and use of advanced systems for control and user information.
 
Dr. Hidalgo guides the EMBARQ Network’s international team of transport engineers, urban planning specialists and environmental scientists. This team is involved in sustainable transport and urban development projects in India, Mexico, Brazil, Turkey, the Andean Region and China. He also coordinates the Observatory of the BRT-ALC Center of Excellence. He has more than 20 years of experience as a transport expert, consultant, and government official. He has taken part in urban transport projects and taught training courses in 10+ countries of Latin America, Asia and Africa. He has also been a lecturer in urban planning and is the author of 55 publications and conference presentations, including an extensive review of bus systems in developing countries. He holds Ph.D. and M.Sc. degrees in Transportation Planning from Ohio State University, and a Civil Engineering degree from Universidad de los Andes, Colombia.
 

 
 
 
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CTA's bus rapid transit won't be so rapid

Source: Chicago Tribune
 
CTA planning manager Joe Iacobucci is the first to acknowledge at the transit agency that «if you ask the average person in Chicago what BRT is, you get a blank look.»
 
BRT, or bus rapid transit, is Iacobucci’s special project. He hopes to transform those blank looks into satisfied smiles.
 
Yet riders of top-notch BRT service in cities like Bogota, Colombia, and Cleveland might not recognize the CTA’s first foray into BRT as «rapid» — because a much-abbreviated form will hits the streets toward the end of the year on the No. 14 Jeffery Express route between the South Side and downtown.
 
In its pure form, BRT operates like a transit rail system on city streets. Traffic problems with cars and trucks all but disappear. Bus commuting times dramatically shrink, creating opportunities for quick transit-to-transit connections that could tempt even the most die-hard motorists to give BRT a try.
 
Under BRT criteria, bus stops are more widely spaced than on traditional bus routes, up to a half-mile apart, to provide quicker trips. The bus lanes are dedicated to buses around the clock, like railroad tracks are to trains.
 
In addition, passengers pay their fares at stations and then when the bus arrives they board quickly at more than one door on raised platforms that are level with the bus floor. And the buses are equipped with transponders that communicate with traffic signals to give the buses more green lights to pass up other vehicles at intersections.
 
But the CTA isn’t going down that ultraexpress route, not yet.
 
In the agency’s upcoming $11 million federally funded BRT experiment on Jeffery Boulevard, the main features will be limited stops; the traffic signal priority for buses on an approximately 11/2-mile stretch (73rd to 84th streets); and part-time bus-only lanes on Jeffery between 67th and 83rd streets (7 to 9 a.m. inbound and 4 to 6 p.m. outbound on weekdays, coinciding with existing parking bans). City officials say they are being careful to implement BRT without imposing major negative impacts, like full-time bus-only lanes, on car drivers.
 
But the traffic signal priority for buses won’t be ready when the CTA introduces BRT on the No. 14 route in November or December, according to officials at the CTA and the Chicago Department of Transportation, which is managing the construction.
 
«My guys tell me the signal priority system will be ready for buses to use sometime within the first quarter of 2013», CDOT spokesman Pete Scales said.
 
Also delayed until early 2013 is a bypass lane at a traffic pinch point on Jeffery at Anthony Avenue, near an entrance to the Chicago Skyway toll bridge. The northbound bypass lane, or queue jump, will be equipped with a special traffic signal to give buses a head start on other traffic to move faster through the intersection and under the viaduct, officials said.
 
BRT-related construction is scheduled to start Monday at 67th Street and Jeffery, Scales said.
 
To build excitement about BRT, the CTA has surprises that it is keeping under wraps for now. The BRT buses starting on Jeffery will have a bold color scheme and branding on the outside of the vehicles, said Iacobucci, who is the CTA’s manager of strategic planning and policy. Monitors inside the buses will provide Bus Tracker and Train Tracker information.
 
The buses themselves will be the 60-foot accordion-style buses currently in use on the No. 14 Jeffery Express, which will become the BRT service. The No. 15 Jeffery Local route will continue without changes.
 
New shelters with the BRT branding and information kiosks will be built at bus stops, which will be spread out up to 1/2-mile apart on the No. 14 route, officials said. A «showcase BRT station,» larger than the CTA’s current JCDecaux bus shelters and outfitted with lights, will be built at the 71st Street bus stop, which is one of the busiest on the route, officials said.
 
No fare increase will be imposed on the BRT route, at least for now, officials said.
 
Corporate naming-rights sponsorships of BRT service may be added in the future, city and transit officials said. Mayor Rahm Emanuel has also said that BRT projects are potential candidates for use in his planned Infrastructure Trust that involves private-sector investment. The move could open the door to the first privatized CTA bus routes and premium fares matched to the premium-level service, officials hinted.
 
The current focus, however, will be to spur improvements over the snail-like 9 mph average speed of CTA buses, officials said. Still, the modest experiment is a far cry from CTA plans unveiled only two years ago to help address the city’s congestion crisis.
 
By now double-long buses stopping only about once per mile were to be serving part of an eventual 50-mile network on four major Chicago arterial streets and increase average bus speeds by as much as 48 percent over buses operating in traffic on regular bus routes. In 2008, the CTA and city were awarded, then later forfeited, a $153 million federal grant for the BRT project. The grant was rescinded after a deadline was missed for the city to develop a congestion-pricing parking meter program aimed at reducing the number of automobiles downtown.
 
With gridlock worsening on Chicago’s streets and a slower growth in bus ridership than on rail, CTA officials say they are compelled to act. They consider the 16-mile No. 14 Jeffery Express route the perfect place to test BRT because it traverses a range of traffic conditions, from residential neighborhoods and retail districts to Lake Shore Drive for miles and downtown serving Union Station and Ogilvie Transportation Center.
 
The slow start to providing faster bus service is intentional, even calculated, Iacobucci said.
 
«There is a lot of low-hanging fruit that we can use to speed up service with these improvements,» he said. «When we do other projects, the testing we will be doing on Jeffery will be a huge advantage.»
 
Transit officials plan to follow up with more robust BRT efforts in the central Loop in 2014 and in subsequent years on Western and Ashland avenues when money becomes available.
 
The big question is whether the initial taste of a world-class bus transit service on Jeffery, minus the bells and whistles, will be enough to whet commuters’ appetite for more. One risk is that the CTA’s watered-down, phased-in substitute could form the public misconception that BRT isn’t much of an improvement over regular express bus service, except for the fancy packaging and higher cost.
 
Experts said that while it would be great to be able to marshal the resources to roll out a full-blown, «gold standard» BRT system like China has done in the city of Guangzhou, it’s not uncommon for bus rapid transit to be incrementally constructed.
 
«I think the CTA is taking a smart approach,» said Dennis Hinebaugh, director of the National Bus Rapid Transit Institute at the University of South Florida. «They are saying, ‘Let’s put what we think we need out there and see what happens.’ That’s one of the big benefits of bus versus rail, where you must build the whole system before you start any service.»
 
If CTA officials decide the Jeffery BRT experiment doesn’t provide the desired travel-time savings, options that include off-board fare payment at bus stops can be added later, Hinebaugh said.
 
But attention to some details cannot wait or be compromised, he said.
 
«One of the big things to make sure of at the start is police enforcement of the no-parking hours for the dedicated bus-only lanes,» Hinebaugh said. «You don’t want commercial vehicles that are making deliveries holding up the buses.»
 
Travel times on the Jeffery BRT route will be reduced by five to seven minutes compared with current express bus times, which are already competitive with service on the nearby Metra Electric District and CTA Red and Green rail lines, CTA officials said.
 
Some riders on the route said current trip times aren’t the biggest problem.
 
«The Jeffery buses are already fast enough. What the CTA needs to do is run the service later into the night for people like me who work late,» said Denise Wilson, a South Shore resident who works in North Chicago and faces a long daily commute on the CTA and Metra. The last No. 14 bus of the day leaves downtown about 10:30 p.m. on weekdays and earlier on weekends.
 
There are already detractors in Chicago who say the CTA has no business messing around with BRT when it should be laser-focused on improving the performance and reliability of existing bus routes, which provide about two-thirds of the 1.7 million daily rides on the system. Bus-bunching and overcrowding on buses remains a big problem, particularly in the downtown area during peak travel periods.
 
«Bus rapid transit is a disastrous, nonsensical mistake. It’s a gimmick,» Charles Paidock, a leader of the transit group Citizens Taking Action, testified before the CTA board at this year’s budget hearings. «The last thing we want is three types of bus systems within CTA.»
 
The BRT experiment on the Jeffery corridor, where about 21,000 rides a day are taken, has citywide implications. The CTA’s long-range plans call for the superexpress buses operating on 20 corridors covering almost 200 miles, creating a new transit grid that connects bus rapid transit to existing CTA bus and rail services as well as Metra commuter trains.
 
CTA President Forrest Claypool emphasized that the its BRT test is a first for the transit agency. He is careful to avoid calling it BRT, or even «BRT Lite» anymore, a term he initially adopted after taking office more than a year ago.
 
«I think it’s important to understand that Jeffery is testing various elements of BRT, but it is not what I think what anyone would call BRT,» Claypool said. «It will cut the commute times for our customers. It will provide a more comfortable and faster ride, but those lessons we learn from that then will be applied to, I guess, a broader BRT.»
 
 
 
 
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Opinion Pieces: Road Pricing – Think outside the square

Opinion Pieces: since 2007, Prof. David Hensher has written an opinion column in the Australasian Bus and Coach magazine, where he monthly discusses a lot of different transport-related hot topics. In this section we are revisiting these columns.

November 2011

Road pricing reform remains a challenging issue that politicians ‘appear’ to believe in but are most definitely not showing any active signs of doing anything about it other than encouraging a dialogue. The stumbling block is the dominant view that while we should reform all road user charges (i.e., registration and fuel excise), the focus in the media and many government documents does not seem to be able to focus away from a congestion charge (or the emotive laded congestion tax). Australia is not the only country suffering from this, and although we should still continue to find ways of reducing traffic congestion, the ‘solution’ may reside in a pricing solution that actually pays peak period commuters to travel outside of peak hours? How might this work?

A Dutch proposition that has recently been tested may hold the answer. They have cameras registering all road users for eight weeks, without telling the road users. They then extract a list of road users that have been detected in the peak period at least three times a week, and send them an invitation letter. A payment is made according to their reference number of trips in the peak, so if they were initially driving three times a week in the peak and during the payment period only once a week, they get paid twice an amount (e.g., 3 to 5 Euros in trials). In one trial, it is an amount per avoidance of the peak, in another trial it is the number of reduced kilometres driven, as detected by the onboard GPS units. Results from initial analyses of six such trials show that about 50 percent of the travellers avoid the peak period when rewarded. Having a few thousand participants, this can make a clear difference in traffic conditions. For further details visit this website.

Another possible way of looking at this that would be even better is to link to a so-called credit-based system, in which you can earn credits driving off peak and spend them on the peak. The reason for not doing this in the Netherlands is simply a legal issue. You can always reward people, but charging people has legal issues and needs to be set by law and the tax office, which takes a long time. So a reward system as described above can be set up from scratch within a few months, making it a very practical tool for temporarily alleviating congestion.

Would this appeal to State and Federal Governments in Australia? The advantage is that no one is priced off the roads which must surely gain political support, but some will be rewarded if the switch trips from peak to off-peak periods, which must surely be a huge benefit in terms of recovery of lost travel time (which is quoted as the cost of congestion). The downside is finding sufficient funds to pay for pay the time of day switching incentive payment. Earning credits through avoiding peak congestion charges and then funding this from the congestion charges imposed on those who travel during peak periods seems the ideal situation but it still entails a congestion charge. So on the reasonable assumption that politicians will baulk at this idea, the way forward may be to consider allocating some of the fuel excise to reward those who switch from the peak to off peak periods. GPS is critical since we must ensure that true switchers are rewarded and not those who already avoid the peaks.

Food for thought

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HealthLine Pumps Life into Cleveland

Source: UrbanLand
 
Euclid Avenue in Cleveland connects the two largest commercial districts in northeast Ohio: downtown Cleveland and University Circle. A microcosm of the city itself, the corridor has experienced extreme highs and lows throughout its history. At the turn of the 20th century, Euclid was known as Millionaires’ Row and was home to the founders of Standard Oil and General Electric. But by the time the Great Depression ended, the avenue was devastated. During the 1950s, its streetcars were dismantled. By the 2000s, the corridor was depressed, lined with dilapidated buildings and vacant lots and evoking a sense of hopelessness.
 
But Euclid’s role as an essential link between the central business district downtown and University Circle—a hub of world-class medical facilities and arts and culture amenities—rendered the corridor impossible to ignore. Starting in the 1970s, a nearly 30-year debate focused on how to integrate rapid transit along Euclid Avenue. Finally, in 1998 the city set aside prohibitively expensive rail plans and decided to move forward with bus rapid transit (BRT).
 
The resulting $200 million, 6.8-mile (11 km) Euclid Corridor Transportation Project catalyzed a powerful transformation along the avenue. Since the BRT line opened in 2008, the corridor has attracted $5.8 billion in investment—$3.3 billion for new construction and $2.5 billion for building rehab, together totaling more than 110 projects. Disproving naysayers and exceeding the expectations of supporters, the project has generated the economic growth that many thought could only be achieved with rail—and at a fraction of the cost. In 2011, the project won a ULI Award for Excellence.
 
By connecting downtown with University Circle, the BRT service contributes to the unification of Cleveland’s top economic generators across the entire city. The Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals of Cleveland — the city’s two biggest employers — purchased naming rights to the BRT line in a 25-year, $6.25 million deal. Dubbing it the HealthLine ties the service to Cleveland’s branding as a hub of medical care and research. By physically linking large hospitals, startups, convention space, and cultural amenities, the corridor is propelling Cleveland’s evolution into a world-class destination for the health care and biotech industries.
 
Implementation was made possible by a complex funding partnership of multiple organizations, including the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) as the project sponsor, the New Starts program of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the Ohio Department of Transportation, the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency, the city of Cleveland, the Cleveland Clinic, and University Hospitals. Of the $200 million invested in the project, $168.4 million for the transit component was provided by the full funding grant agreement (FFGA) with the FTA. The remaining $31.6 million went toward nontransit improvements, including sidewalks, utilities, and public art.
 
Although the Euclid corridor project secured funding in 2004, the project still struggled to gain initial widespread support. One major challenge was the notion that a bus line would not attract the professional community, instead driving the area’s social problems along Euclid Avenue further into the downtown and University Circle districts. Developers and community members also questioned the project’s ability to stimulate economic growth significantly.
 
In response, the RTA and the design team — prime consultant Wilbur Smith Associates of Cleveland and planning and landscape architect Sasaki Associates of Boston — adopted a strategy of «thinking rail while using bus.» Dedicated bus lanes free the buses from the interference of other traffic. From downtown to University Circle, buses run along exclusive lanes in the center of the street, which results in greater efficiency. «From Public Square [downtown] to University Circle, we reduced travel time from 30 minutes to 20 minutes,» says Michael J. Schipper, RTA deputy general manager for engineering and project management.
 
Additional features include prominent stations, raised station platforms that match the height of the bus floor to allow same-level boarding, real-time updates of bus arrival times, and off-vehicle fare collection—all of which imbue the HealthLine with the sensibility of an urban rail line. Having fewer stations improves travel times, and platforms in the road median reduce encroachment on the sidewalks. The stations, designed by Robert P. Madison International Inc. of Cleveland, are modern and transparent, constructed of glass and stainless steel, and designed to support the public realm by creating their own identity that reinforces the entire corridor and transit rather than mimicking a certain period or architectural style represented in the neighborhoods the line traverses. They are well-lit and are equipped with emergency blue-light phones and closed-circuit security cameras.
 
The HealthLine operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. On weekdays, buses arrive at stations every ten minutes from early morning into the evening. During peak service periods, arrival frequency shrinks to every seven minutes. Such rigorous service levels make the HealthLine a convenient and reliable transit option.
 
The corridor accommodates multiple modes of transit by incorporating exclusive bike lanes and pedestrian-friendly sidewalks and street crossings. The bus-exclusive center lanes allow parking to be integrated back into the street, supporting efforts to revitalize retail storefronts. Providing visual interest are seasonal plantings that provide splashes of color in the medians; colorful and rhythmic pavement striping in the sidewalks that provide human scale; and distinctive lighting elements—a custom light created for downtown medians; small bump lights in the median outside of downtown that cast a low, wide light that illuminates the center of the street; and lighting of trees in wide, planted medians. Public art installations are integrated into street design along the corridor, including pavement patterns in the crosswalks, stone patterns in the street, iron castings for tree grates, and a few stand-alone sculptures illuminated by light-emitting diodes at night.
 
The project required strategic partnerships among diverse interests—public, private, nonprofit, and neighborhood. To determine and satisfy the interests of various stakeholder groups, the RTA held about 2,000 public meetings. One design solution that engendered widespread community support was to address the eight distinct neighborhoods in the corridor individually. Though some design elements, such as the station shelters, lighting, and pavement materials, are consistent along the entire corridor, other elements—shelter size, light configurations, pavement patterns, and tree species—are distinct to identify the different neighborhoods.
 
Ridership has increased steadily over the years and now totals about 15,100 people per day. «The bulk of riders are commuters, but we are experiencing a big uptick in midday ridership,» says Schipper. In response, the RTA is extending the service’s peak hours to accommodate more riders.
 
The link between downtown and University Circle provided by the HealthLine fortified the idea for the Cleveland Health-Tech Corridor, an initiative launched in 2010 that spans three miles (5.8 km) and encompasses ten neighborhoods. Created by BioEnterprise, a biosciences business incubator, and Midtown Cleveland, an economic development corporation, the Health-Tech Corridor seeks to attract and support businesses downtown, along Euclid, and in University Circle. Baiju Shah, BioEnterprise president and CEO and a self-described convert regarding the HealthLine, was persuaded by the «well-designed planning process that tied into a compelling business proposition.» Today, Shah considers the HealthLine a force spurring developers to locate projects along the corridor.
 
One of the most visible ventures along Euclid is the $28 million MidTown Tech Park, which opened in summer 2011. MidTown Tech Park has 128,000 square feet (11,900 sq m) of state-of-the-art incubator space located on the former site of a used car dealership in Midtown, once one of the most downtrodden neighborhoods along Euclid. Ravaged by civil rights protests in the 1960s, the area had been largely ignored since. Substantial development in Midtown so soon after completion of the HealthLine was unanticipated, Schipper says. «We wouldn’t have expected this type of thing until five or so years out,» he says.
 
JumpStart, a nonprofit venture development organization, was the first tenant of MidTown Tech Park. «Midtown is increasingly becoming a hub for entrepreneurship—particularly young biomedical companies—and we were excited to be contributing to that energy while adding to the growing vitality of Cleveland’s urban core,» says Ray Leach, JumpStart chief executive officer. «And now many of the incubators, tech companies, higher-education institutions, and world-class health care are connected not just in missions and interests, but by a physical corridor developing around the HealthLine.»
 
Cleveland HeartLab, which makes a biomarker-based heart test, is one of MidTown Tech Park’s newest tenants. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the company has grown from eight to 80 employees over two years and likely would have left the area were it not for the new developments along Euclid.
 
In addition, construction of about 5,100 housing units has augmented the corridor’s revitalization.
 
New developments are also proliferating at either end of the HealthLine. Adjacent to University Circle, the Uptown district is home to the new $27 million Museum of Contemporary Art. Downtown, the Cleveland Medical Mart & Convention Center, targeted to the medical and health care industries, is scheduled for completion in 2013.
 
The HealthLine has not only created employment opportunities, but also has changed the way people think about transportation and job location, says Lillian Kuri, program director for architecture, urban design, and sustainable development at the Cleveland Foundation, a community foundation providing leadership advocacy on strategic initiatives for the city. «It has raised consciousness about making sure jobs are accessible to low-income residents,» she says. Employers are strategically locating to be accessible by public transportation as a way of attracting talent—something commonplace in major urban districts but often ignored in medium-sized, car-centric cities.
 
The HealthLine has precipitated an economic development strategy not just for the corridor, but also for the city. The project has brought about the partnerships necessary for Cleveland to make a transition from an industrial economy to a knowledge-based economy, building on the strength of education, research, health care, and tourism. Euclid Avenue supports the ventures that comprise this new economy, as well as housing, retail businesses, restaurants, and entertainment venues. The corridor is vibrant with possibility as a place for people to live, work, and prosper, and serves as an example for similar cities in the United States and around the world.
 
 
 
 
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BRT projects improve transit service and can contribute to economic development – GAO Report

Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office
 
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) was asked to prepare a report to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, U.S. Senate that examined BRT projects funded by the FTA.
 
What GAO Found
 
U.S. bus rapid transit (BRT) projects we reviewed include features that distinguished BRT from standard bus service and improved riders’ experience. However, few of the projects (5 of 20) used dedicated or semi-dedicated lanes— a feature commonly associated with BRT and included in international systems to reduce travel time and attract riders. Project sponsors and planners explained that decisions on which features to incorporate into BRT projects were influenced by costs, community needs, and the ability to phase in additional features. For example, one project sponsor explained that well-lighted shelters with security cameras and real-time information displays were included to increase passengers’ sense of safety in the evening. Project sponsors told us they plan to incorporate additional features such as off-board fare collection over time.
 
The BRT projects we reviewed generally increased ridership and improved service over the previous transit service. Specifically, 13 of the 15 project sponsors that provided ridership data reported increases in ridership after 1 year of service and reduced average travel times of 10 to 35 percent over previous bus services. However, even with increases in ridership, U.S. BRT projects usually carry fewer total riders than rail transit projects and international BRT systems. Project sponsors and other stakeholders attribute this to higher population densities internationally and riders who prefer rail transit. However, some projects—such as the M15 BRT line in New York City—carry more than 55,000 riders per day.
 
Capital costs for BRT projects were generally lower than for rail transit projects and accounted for a small percent of the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) New, Small, and Very Small Starts’ funding although they accounted for over 50 percent of projects with grant agreements since fiscal year 2005. Project sponsors also told us that BRT projects can provide rail-like benefits at lower capital costs. However, differences in capital costs are due in part to elements needed for rail transit that are not required for BRT and can be considered in context of total riders, costs for operations, and other long-term costs such as vehicle replacement.
 
We found that although many factors contribute to economic development, most local officials we visited believe that BRT projects are contributing to localized economic development. For instance, officials in Cleveland told us that between $4 and $5 billion was invested near the Healthline BRT project—associated with major hospitals and universities in the corridor. Project sponsors in other cities told us that there is potential for development near BRT projects; however, development to date has been limited by broader economic conditions—most notably the recent recession. While most local officials believe that rail transit has a greater economic development potential than BRT, they agreed that certain factors can enhance BRT’s ability to contribute to economic development, including physical BRT features that relay a sense of permanence to developers; key employment and activity centers located along the corridor; and local policies and incentives that encourage transit-oriented development. Our analysis of land value changes near BRT lends support to these themes. In addition to economic development, BRT project sponsors highlighted other community benefits including quick construction and implementation and operational flexibility.
 
Why GAO Did This Study
 
BRT is a form of transit that has generated interest around the world to help alleviate the adverse effects of traffic congestion and potentially contribute to economic growth. BRT features can include improvements to infrastructure, technology, and passenger amenities over standard bus service to improve service and attract new riders. The use of federal funding for BRT in the United States has increased since 2005, when the Safe Accountable Flexible Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users expanded eligibility for major capital projects under FTA’s Capital Investment Grant Program to include corridor-based bus projects. BRT projects can be funded through New, Small, and Very Small Start grants under the Capital Investment GrantProgram.
 
GAO was asked to examine (1) features included in BRT projects funded by the FTA; (2) BRT project performance in terms of ridership and service and how they compare to rail transit projects; (3) how BRT-projects’ costs differ from rail transit project costs; and (4) the extent to which BRT projects provide economic development and other benefits. To address these objectives, GAO sent questionnaires to officials of all 20 existing BRT and 20 existing rail-transit projects that the FTA recommended for funding from fiscal year 2005 through 2012 to collect information on project features, ridership, and service and interviewed select project sponsors. GAO also reviewed documents and interviewed government, academic, and industry group officials. The U.S.Department of Transportation did not comment on the draft report.
 
 
Download full report here
 
 
 
 
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A Developed Country Is One in Which Rich People Use Public Transport

Source: DARIO HIDALGO and MADHAV PAI for The New York Times
 
Photo: Prakash Singh/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
 
In a landmark ruling that overturns conventional traffic engineering approaches, the Delhi High Court on October 2012 advanced the idea that transportation facilities are for moving people, not cars, and should favor all users, not just the minority fortunate enough to use private cars. In addition, it advocated introducing measures that move people out of cars and into public transportation.
 
The ruling dismissed a petition demanding that the bus corridor from the Moolchand intersection to Ambedkar Nagar in New Delhi be scrapped to create more traffic lanes for private vehicles. The petition, filed earlier this year by Nyaya Bhoomi, claimed that the bus corridor was aimed at harassing commuters and was a waste of public money. It said it resulted in increased travel time for car users and longer idling time due to traffic jams, resulting in wastage of fuel.
 
The case received extensive media coverage and was widely debated, with several arguments for and against the bus corridor presented. Interestingly, the issue also sparked commentary on the inherent class divisions in Indian society, where the rich minority seems to possess a sense of entitlement over a majority of the public resources.
 
In 2009, an assessment of the corridor by Embarq, which was used by the defense counsel in the court hearings, revealed that commuters using the corridor as part of their journey benefited from it, and that the delays in general traffic were offset by the reduced travel time for bus commuters.
 
However, transportation experts agreed that the corridor left a lot to be desired. The assessment also indicated that the 5.6-kilometer corridor was not a full Bus Rapid Transit (B.R.T.) system, as it lacked most of the critical features of such systems. It also recommended improvements in many areas, particularly the introduction of performance indicators and monitoring systems. The report suggested measures to enhance operations, communications and branding, and also recommended that the corridor be extended to Delhi Gate, as originally planned. However, these recommendations were not implemented.
 
Another assessment, as a result of a court order, compared the bus corridor with other corridors, and found that the corridors without central bus priority lanes fared better in terms of traffic movement. The court, however, dismissed that report, stating that the comparison was faulty, as the traffic volumes and passengers on the corridors chosen for the study were unequal. It was a traditional traffic engineering study about vehicle movement, rather than people transported.
 
Without disregarding the flaws of the bus corridor and the changes that could be made to improve the flow of traffic at critical intersections, the judges, Pradeep Nandrajog and Manmohan Singh, dismissed the petition to let all traffic use the exclusive bus lanes.
 
They reasoned that since a bus could transport up to 200 persons in the course of one journey, as opposed to a car, which would transport 3 or 4 persons, it was not irrational to assign dedicated road space for buses. In fact, what does appear irrational is that when more than 50 percent of road users travel by bus, 98 percent of Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission grants from the Ministry of Urban Development have been spent on the expansion of roads, construction of flyovers and parking projects, in which the primary targeted beneficiaries are cars. A mere 2 percent has been spent on other transportation projects.
 
The Delhi High Court also recognized that the larger problem of traffic congestion was because of the growing number of vehicles in the city – currently over seven million. It would be unfeasible to further augment the city’s already extensive road network, which accounts for 21 percent of its geographical area and includes 46 flyovers, to accommodate this alarming increase in the number of private vehicles, the judgment said. The only sustainable solution would be to improve Delhi’s integrated public transportation system to include high-capacity mass transit options, like B.R.T. These improvements would urge a shift in the “mode shares” or the percentage of people traveling by public and private transportation.
 
This ruling comes at a critical point in the evolution of B.R.T.’s in India, when several cities are exploring the viability of B.R.T.’s to enhance their public transportation systems. As a result of this ruling, and with support from the newly formed Asia B.R.T.’s Association, which is an international network of Asian cities, transit authorities, operators, policy- and decision-makers, technical institutes and representatives of the public manufacturing and service industry, the path has been paved for additional B.R.T. projects around the country to be planned and implemented. While bus priority is good, a B.R.T. is much more than buses and bus lanes. A systematic approach has made the B.R.T. successful in many cities around the world.
 
Dario Hidalgo and Madhav Pai are directors at Embarq, the urban transportation program of the World Resources Institute. Embarq is headquartered in Washington and works in India, China, Brazil, the Andes, Mexico and Turkey. Dario Hidalgo is also member of our BRT Centre of Excellence
 
 
 
 
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Bus Rapid Transit Is Coming to Philly

Source: Next American City
 
Photo: Sean Marshall on Flickr
 
Bus rapid transit (BRT) routes are cropping up across the U.S., and it looks like Philly-area commuters will get a taste of one such streamlined system in the near future, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer.
 
The Obama administration announced on July that New Jersey Transit is set to receive $2.6 million to go toward a planned BRT route that will connect South Jersey and Philadelphia along the traffic-heavy Routes 55, 42 and Interstate 676.
 
As is typical of BRT systems, the new line would allow rush-hour buses to travel in bus-only lanes — specifically, highway shoulder lanes and medians — for part of the trip to Philadelphia, with the aim of reducing traffic and easing commutes. The project, expected to cost $46 million total, would also create 1,800 new commuter parking spaces in Winslow and Deptford Townships, N.J.
 
The plans sound promising, but there’s a lot of work ahead. The system’s budget calls for new buses, modified traffic signals and the construction of shelters along the 23-mile route, outfitted with ticket machines and GPS-supported information about bus arrival times. NJ Transit officials estimate that the bus service won’t be in full operation until 2020, with construction beginning in about two years. However, expectations for the BRT route remain high as officials project that 6,400 riders will use the service by 2035.
 
Though activists in Pittsburgh have launched a campaign to improve the not quite up to industry-standard BRT system in their city, rapid-bus systems have largely remained absent from Pennsylvania. New Jersey saw its first BRT system when Newark’s Go Bus was unveiled in 2009, serving the 4.8-mile corridor between Irvington Bus Terminal and Newark Penn Station.
 
The money for NJ Transit’s newest BRT project came from a larger $787 million budget that will fund 255 transit projects in 48 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. SEPTA, Philadelphia’s transit authority, also received $5 million in funding to upgrade the century-old 69th St. Terminal in Upper Darby, a township adjacent to West Philly, with improved lighting, waiting areas and pedestrian access.
 
With construction on a new, $1.5 billion light rail line as little as two years away, NJ Transit has a lot on its plate in the near future. If and when the work gets completed, however, commuters on both sides of the Delaware will have a host of transit options never before available to them.
 
 
 
 
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Opinion Pieces: Contract and Markets – mature or otherwise

Opinion Pieces: since 2007, Prof. David Hensher has written an opinion column in the Australasian Bus and Coach magazine, where he monthly discusses a lot of different transport-related hot topics. In this section we are revisiting these columns.

October 2011

The 12th International Conference on Competition and Ownership of Land Passenger Transport (known as the Thredbo Series) has just concluded in Durban, South Africa. As Co-founder of the series, I am delighted with the success of the series and the impact that it has globally on the reform process in many countries, including Australia. Learning about the ongoing challenges facing reforms in South Africa helps to put in perspective the Australian challenges, which almost pale into significance. Put simply, countries with mature markets (like Australia) wrestle with the abundance of rich talent in the sector; in contrast South Africa typifies a situation best described as immature and evolving. Despite this circumstance, South Africa has a very large informal min-bus (or para transit) sector that offers a very high level of service in terms of frequency and connectivity, but it is accompanied by high levels of risk of exposure to accidents and corruption. Although the recapitalisation program is well advanced in replacing old mini-buses (which South Africa calls taxis) with new 16 seater Toyota vans, greatly improving the quality and safety of the vehicles, there still remains the ‘cowboy’ mentality of many drivers who lack the commitment to obeying the rules of the road (including illegal overcrowding the their 16 seater vehicles which commonly carry 23 plus persons). The challenge in reforming this very large sector with high service levels is to remove the illegal practices and safety concerns while preserving such high levels of service. Many would argue that it will be a sad day if this is resolved by removing the sector entirely and replacing it with a very Western conventional timetabled bus service. For sure this will deliver a lower level of service even if it is fully compliant.

In both mature and evolving market settings there remains great interest in the design of bus contracts. With over 26 countries present at Thredbo 12, an intense high level debate identified the key risks to the success of a contract, given global experiences. The risks in order of relative importance are:

• Unclear description of government objectives and outcomes
• Poor quality in tender/negotiation assessment
• Allocation of risks and responsibilities
• Ensuring financial viability
• Dispute management and resolution arrangements
• Specifying the services to be provided
• Understanding of the best technical content
• Changes over time in government/government policy
• Specifying (key) performance indicators
• Distortions introduced during contract negotiations
• Collecting and acting on performance indicators
• Complexity in the scope of services
• Building and maintaining a positive partnership
• Tendering /Negotiation process

What is particularly gratifying is the overall view from the conference that we must continue to ensure that the process of contract negotiation is open, clear and achieves buy-in from all sides; that it recognise contracts are at the tactical level, but need to be constructed within a clear strategic framework; that it ensures a clear alignment between Strategic, Tactical and Operational (STO) aspects; and that we continue to learn from the past and others’ experience, and undertake self evaluation. Linked to achieving these outcomes is a performance management regime defined on a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) that must be in the contract but with benchmarked levels included in an accompanying schedule; and these KPIs must be part of an appropriate structure to manage performance regime by the regulator and not just for compliance, but also to assist operators. It was made clear that “Performance is not the same as compliance”. The 8 KPIs developed by Hensher-Arbuckle for NSW received complete support as a sensible and appropriate way ahead in order to track cost efficiency, network effectiveness and customer satisfaction in particular. It was also reinforced that social exclusion has to be explicit within public transport service contracts with operators.

Food for thought

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Postdoctoral Research Position

The Department of Transport Engineering and Logistics at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, host of the BRT Centre of Excellence, is currently looking for one postdoctorate or experienced researchers to work in our Research group. We have a number of ongoing projects in different Public Transportation issues in which the successful applicant could participate leading some projects and collaborating with other researchers at the BRT Centre in others. Individuals with research interests in any domain regarding public transportation, ranging from the most strategic to the most operational aspects are especially encouraged to apply (i.e. planning, urban studies, design, financing, economics, demand modeling, operations and control).
 
Job Description: We are seeking applicants with a PhD or industry experience in an area related to Public Transport. Candidates need not be fluent in Spanish at the moment of applying; we welcome applications from within and outside Chile. They must exhibit excellent oral and written communication skills and an aptitude for teamwork. It is advantageous to have earned a Ph.D. in a Public Transport related field, with a demonstrated research potential. While industrial experience is desirable, a strong commitment to rigorous and relevant research is essential. We offer the attractive opportunity of a job working in the field of Public Transport while collaborating with a University.
 
Requirements: Applicants must hold a Ph.D. in related discipline or be about to complete it. It is important that the applicant be able to work collaboratively, and international experience is desirable. Review of applications starts immediately and the positions will remain open until a successful candidate has been found.
 
Information and application: To apply, interested applicants should forward their CV including a publication list, contact details of three reference writers and a one page description of their experience and research interests related to this position. Please send application information and/or request more information by sending an e-mail to Prof. Juan Carlos Muñoz (jcm@ing.puc.cl).
 
 
 
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New tool visualizes American BRT

Source: The City Fix
 
Duke University’s Center on Globalization, Governance & Competitiveness (CGGC) released a new report, “U.S. Bus Rapid Transit: 10 high-quality features and the value chain of firms that provide them”, a collection of best practices and metrics for bus rapid transit (BRT) in the United States.
 
Three web tools are attached to the CGGC report, including a detailed BRT station mock-up with the 10 essential features of high-value BRT. In addition to the mock-up, the report has created two – web databases, detailing the transit providers currently running American BRT systems, as well as the complete value chain, from bus manufacturers to transportation planners, for American BRT.
 
Marcy Lowe, lead contributor of the CGGC report, said, “We hope our interactive online tool–highlighting the 10 high-quality BRT features–will help agencies consider the best package of BRT features for their community. The more of these features they can incorporate, the better their BRT system will be.”
 
The report stresses these guidelines:

• Safe, Comfortable Platform Level Boarding
• Consistent Branding
• Real Time Information
• Clearly Recognizable, Efficient Vehicles
• Intelligent Transportation Systems with Vehicle Tracking
• Integration Into The Existing Transport Network
• Standardized Fare Collection Off Vehicle
• Shared BRT System Infrastructure on a Dedicated Right of Way
• Innovative Financing Mechanisms for service sustainability

As BRT systems continue to form across the globe, with more than 20 systems commencing operations in the past two years alone, the rate of BRT growth in the U.S. is slower than global trends. One reason for this slow adoption stateside, according to Lowe, is the funding challenges for public transit, generally.
 
“Funding and financing is one of the biggest challenges for communities looking to expand public transit,” she said. “That’s why more communities are seriously considering BRT as an alternative to light rail and other major transit projects.”
 
Indeed, a U.S. Department of Transportation report found that there is a $77.7 billion backlog in transit funding to simply get the current nationwide transit system into a state of good repair, and this number does not reflect costs for new transit projects. The CGGC report recommends one such alternative finance tool: the formation of public-private partnerships (PPP) in both hiring bus operators through private contract and by creating innovative ways to fund BRT systems.
 
There are already many examples of PPPs in American road construction projects. PPP financing for transit is not without precedent in the U.S. For example, heavy rail systems in Chicago and New York have earned funding through selling station naming rights as part of advertising revenue. Though these novel PPP fundraising sources lack comprehensive funding opportunities for a sustainable financial support system, Lowe notes that they can help “spread costs” and pay for operating expenses.
 
However complex American BRT financing may appear, BRT as a transportation alternative has a firm backing in research and past precedent. EMBARQ’s Carrigan notes, “By identifying 10 features of high-quality bus rapid transit systems, Duke’s visualization tool emphasizes that BRT is more than just dedicated bus lanes; it’s an integrated transport system.” That is something that all American transit agencies can find useful.
 
 
 
 
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Ellenbrook BRT concept design under way

Source: Government of Western Australia
 
Design work has started on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system between Ellenbrook and Bassendean train station.
 
Transport Minister Troy Buswell said AECOM had been awarded the $630,000 tender to develop the 15 per cent concept designs for the BRT system.
 
“The BRT system will provide improved journey times, enhanced bus stops/stations and strategically-located park and ride facilities. By 2031, it will serve an estimated 6,500 daily users,” Mr Buswell said.
 
“The BRT design will include planning for stations, integration with existing and planned land use and transport networks, park and ride facilities and bus priority treatment.
 
“This work will help to identify any key construction issues and any impacts the BRT may have on the broader transport network.”
 
The Minister said that development of the concept designs would include consultation with key stakeholders, including the Public Transport Authority, Main Roads, Department of Planning and local government.
 
The concept design work is expected to be completed by March 2013.
 
 
 
 
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Bus Rapid Transit Gaining Traction Despite Concerns

Source: Governing
Photos: Ken Blaze
 
Localities from San Francisco to Jacksonville, Fla., are embracing bus rapid transit — even if not everyone in the transportation community is sold on the idea.
 
Nashville officials are pursuing a transit line they say will be integral to the future of the region as the population grows. The 8-mile route, dubbed the East-West Connector, would link hospitals, the city’s football stadium, its state Capitol and Vanderbilt University, among other destinations. Regional officials say that, if executed properly, the connector could be online as soon as 2015 and will serve more than 1.3 million riders annually. “Something like this has never been attempted in Nashville,” says Mayor Karl Dean.
 
That something isn’t a subway, light rail or even a streetcar. It’s a bus. And its impact on Nashville could be huge. “People who work downtown will be able to get downtown faster and cheaper,” Dean says. “That’s the appeal.” The East-West Connector isn’t a traditional bus line either. Rather, it’s bus rapid transit, or BRT. It focuses on taking bus service — historically unattractive and slow — and making it something riders want to use, as opposed to its current status as a mode of last resort.
 
Until now, just a handful of U.S. transit agencies have embraced BRT. That’s changing. Longtime transit leaders like Chicago, New York City and San Francisco are planning new BRT services, while less transit-focused places like Hartford, Conn.; Jacksonville, Fla.; and Montgomery County, Md., are pursuing it as well. Dean — who’s visited several of the country’s leading BRT systems — says it’s no surprise that the mode is becoming increasingly prevalent. At a time when localities are struggling financially, it’s a cost-effective option. In Nashville, officials say they can build the East-West Connector for $136 million — half the cost of a similar streetcar system — and serve almost as many riders. “This is a popular form of transit for cities that do not have sophisticated transit systems right now,” says Dean. “Nashville has a good bus system, but it needs to expand. BRT is an attractive way of doing it.”
 
The idea for BRT is rooted in making two fundamental shifts in the way buses run. The first goal is to do everything possible to speed up rides, which is crucial to attracting new customers. As part of that effort, BRT buses generally run more frequently during peak travel times. Stops are spaced farther apart to ensure that buses don’t pause too often for pickups and drop-offs. High-tech devices on traffic lights can detect buses and give them a little extra time to make a green light. Tickets are purchased at bus stops instead of on the bus to avoid delays as passengers fumble for change. Dedicated lanes are created to make sure buses don’t get trapped in congestion. And some systems even have bus stops on elevated platforms so that time isn’t wasted waiting for passengers to climb up and down the bus steps.
 
The other goal is to make buses feel safe and inviting. The exteriors of BRT buses often feature cosmetic enhancements to make them appear more modern. Stops are designed to be aesthetically pleasing and convenient, complete with landscaping and bicycle racks. And electronic displays let riders know how soon the next vehicle is coming.
 
Ground zero for BRT is Curitiba, Brazil, which first launched its BRT service in 1974 and has served as a model for practitioners worldwide. Subsequent systems have developed in China, India, Mexico and elsewhere. And while Los Angeles and Pittsburgh built the first precursors of American BRT in the ’70s, it wasn’t until recently that the systems caught on. Historically, the U.S. hasn’t embraced BRT because of residents’ attitudes toward transit. In South American cities that have strong BRT systems, “you have the majority of the population moving in buses,” says Dario Hidalgo, director for research and practice at EMBARQ, which studies and promotes sustainable transportation. That makes it easier for transportation officials to get buy-in from the public when it’s time to repurpose a lane.
 
Generally, the thinking among U.S. transit officials is that “choice riders” — those who don’t have to take transit but opt to because of its convenience — are willing to ride subways, light rail and streetcars, but not buses. Advocates of BRT argue that bus service itself isn’t the problem; it’s the way the service is implemented. Offer riders buses that are fast, clean and safe, they say, and passengers will embrace them. “If you build it right, people will come,” says Janette Sadik-Khan, New York City’s transportation commissioner. “People aren’t going to get on dirty buses that are slow.”
 
In the 1990s, the Federal Transit Administration began organizing international trips for American transit officials to see BRT systems abroad. At the same time, BRT started to make sense for American cities, as growing congestion coupled with fiscal realities meant not everyone could hope to build light rail, which can cost as much as three times the price of a comparable BRT system. In the early 2000s, L.A. and Pittsburgh redoubled their BRT efforts, while later in the decade, places like Eugene, Ore., and Cleveland launched their own highly touted BRT services that today are considered the top American systems. The successes of those projects helped inspire local officials across the country, who could finally point to examples of successful BRT in American cities instead of looking abroad as they tried to make the case for BRT. Today, virtually every major metro area is considering or actively planning some degree of rapid bus service. “There’s definitely an effort to equalize the playing field between bus and rail,” says Gabe Klein, transportation commissioner in Chicago, which will launch the first of three BRT lines this fall. “The bus doesn’t have to be second-class transportation.”
 
The recent explosion of BRT has prompted a debate within the transit community, which is asking what exactly BRT service is, and more important, does a definition even matter? Last year, the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), a nonprofit that provides technical assistance and advocates for BRT, released a scorecard rating BRT services. Systems got points for things like high-frequency buses, limited local stops, fare collection that occurred off-board and having physically separated lanes. While several international systems received high marks, not a single U.S. city was rated above “bronze,” and the group deemed that New York City’s highly publicized BRT service wasn’t really BRT at all. “We ruffled a lot of feathers,” says Annie Weinstock, ITDP’s U.S. BRT program director.
 
Transit officials generally take a big-tent approach to the BRT definition. They say every city is unique and that the same set of standards shouldn’t be applied universally. But many respected voices in the BRT community believe that some agencies are trying to take advantage of the cachet that comes with BRT and inaccurately apply the label to their own fleets in an effort to get buy-in from passengers and grants from the federal government. (BRT service is eligible for more types of funding than traditional bus service.) Protecting the BRT brand, Weinstock says, is key. If the public feels like it’s been misled, it may not support BRT in the future.
 
It’s an important discussion to have right now, since so many cities are examining the service. While it’s clear that a train becomes a subway when it goes underground, what’s less clear is when a bus becomes BRT. Benjamin de la Peña, associate director for urban development at the Rockefeller Foundation, says that ambiguity could make it easy for some agencies to take ambitious BRT projects and morph them into traditional bus routes as a way to save money. “It’s really easy to water down,” de la Peña says. In a case of the debate coming full circle, officials in the Washington, D.C., suburb of Montgomery County have started to deliberately refer to their project as RTV, or rapid transit vehicle, because they believe BRT doesn’t describe the significance of their service.
 
Officials in local transit agencies almost universally say they don’t want to get bogged down in the debate about the BRT definition. What’s more important, they argue, are the ultimate payoffs: faster rides and greater ridership. If that happens, they say, the way the buses and service is configured isn’t so important. The Federal Transit Administration has chosen not to weigh in on the debate, offering guidance on BRT best practices but not mandates on which elements must be included.
 
In New York City, officials developed a system that has embraced some BRT tenets, like off-board fare collection, signal priority for buses at some intersections and greater distances between stops. But it doesn’t have bus lanes that are physically separated from normal traffic, which caused it to lose marks on ITDP’s scorecard.
 
Sadik-Khan, the transportation commissioner, isn’t too worried about that. The city has three BRT lines right now — the department describes them by its own term, Select Bus Service — and another three are in the works. Eventually the hope is to have 16 lines. While buses don’t travel in separated lanes, they drive in specially painted ones that cars are prohibited from using during peak hours. If they do, the buses snap a photo, and the drivers are ticketed. “It’s the system that works for New York,” Sadik-Khan says. “For New York, every single time we’ve put in a Select Bus Service route, we’ve seen an increase in ridership — amid a citywide decline in bus ridership.”
 
Still, there are BRT skeptics. In Berkeley, Calif., downtown businesses opposed a proposal that would have linked the city to Oakland because they feared the loss of parking spaces and left-turn lanes, making it more difficult for customers to access their stores. Those old battles between drivers and transit riders often play out as communities develop BRT, because to be truly effective, BRT sometimes requires taking a lane from cars for at least part of the route.
 
Some in the light-rail community view BRT as a threat that actually undermines transit.
 
While streetcars and subways are permanent, BRT is more susceptible to changes. Dan Malouff, a transportation planner for the Arlington County, Va., transportation department, recently posted a piece on his influential blog that eviscerated BRT, saying cities generally pursue it in order to “cut a corner” by avoiding rail, making the service susceptible to failure. “[A]s long as U.S. planners think of BRT as a cheap replacement for rail, then the U.S. will be very unlikely to ever produce BRT that is actually rail-like … because that mindset inherently undervalues many of the specific features that are needed to produce a high-quality transit line, regardless of mode,” he wrote.
 
And BRT’s early stalwarts are showing signs of trouble. Earlier this year, the newspaper of Curitiba reported that from 2008 to 2011, the number of paid rides on its system fell by about 14 million, or 4.3 percent, and there were recent riots in Bogota, Colombia, by protesters frustrated with that city’s slipping BRT service.
 
Regardless, BRT is a path that transit agencies are likely to continue to pursue as they try to stretch dollars. Nearly 85 percent of transit agencies had flat or decreased capital funding in the wake of the recession, according to a survey released by the American Public Transportation Association last year. Transit agencies save money with BRT because of lower infrastructure costs — they don’t have to lay down track or dig underground — and there are lower personnel costs, since they can use the same types of drivers and mechanics that they use for existing buses.
 
Cleveland, for example, opened its 7-mile BRT in 2008 at a cost of $200 million. Light rail would have cost nearly $1 billion, says Joseph Calabrese, general manager of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority. “A few people said it should be light rail or nothing,” he says. “In that case, it would have been nothing.”
 
In greater Eugene, Ore., the BRT system got its 10 millionth rider just five years after its launch. Today, daily ridership on the system known as EmX is triple what it was for comparable local service lines, says Ron Kilcoyne, general manager of the system. “We never projected when we’d hit our 10 millionth rider, but certainly we weren’t expecting it to happen that quickly,” says Kilcoyne. EmX has two corridors now, but officials hope to eventually expand to five.
 
Kilcoyne says it’s crucial to understand that the goal isn’t to create more BRT systems; it’s to find a better way of moving people. “I think you really have to take a look at what the outcomes you’re trying to achieve are,” says Kilcoyne. “Because everything else — whether or not you build rail, or rely on buses, or a full-scale BRT — those are all means to the end. The end is speed, reliability and the ability to attract more customers.”
 
 
 
 
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International Visit to Rio's First BRT Line

Source: EMBARQ
Photos: Mariana Gil / EMBARQ Brazil.
 
With growing international interest in Rio de Janeiro’s bus rapid transit (BRT) system, journalists from around the world are seeking to understand how the system is being implemented. On June 18, reporters Valerie Valcovici (Reuters), Diana Kinch (The Wall Street Journal), and Cynthia Castro (Revista CNT Transporte Atual) visited Rio’s first BRT corridor, the Transoeste.
 
The journalists were accompanied by the municipal secretary and deputy secretaries of transportation, Alexander Samson and Carlos Maiolino. Representatives from EMBARQ included Director Holger Dalkmann, EMBARQ Chief Operating Officer Clayton Lane, EMBARQ Brazil Director and member of our CoE Luis Antonio Lindau, EMBARQ Brazil Strategic Relations and Development Director Rejane D. Fernandes, and World Resources Institute Media Relations Director Michael Oko. The visit was organized by WRI and EMBARQ Brazil, along with FETRANSPOR (Federated Passenger Transport Company of the State of Rio de Janeiro) and the Secretary of Transportation of Rio de Janeiro.
 
“The biggest benefit of BRT systems, or any mass transportation system, is increasing accessibility for the population and improving overall quality of life for the city,” Dalkmann said.
 
The Transoeste line was created.with the goal of integrating the West Zone neighborhoods with the rest of the city. While still in the early stages of implementation, the system extends more than 56 kilometers, connecting Barra de Tijuca to Santa Cruz.
 
According to Alexandre Castro, manager of operations for Transoeste, it is estimated that the corridor will serve 250,000 people each day and cut current travel time in half. Secretary of Transportation Alexander Samson said BRT is a paradigm shift for the city. «The BRT is a new concept of transport in Rio. It can carry twice as many people as the current system, besides being more sustainable, emitting less greenhouse gases,» he said.
 
The modern fleet of articulated buses are monitored by staff at the Operational Control Center at Terminal Alvorada, the future connection point between the Transoeste and Transcarioca lines.
 
The control center monitors the performance of the lines, which rely on an adaptive system for traffic signal priority, i.e. giving preference to BRT vehicles at intersections.
 
«A bus lane carries 10 times more people than a car lane. Why, then, not prioritize public transportation?” Lindau said.
 
«The new system will attract more people to public transport by offering more comfort and speed. The city of Rio de Janeiro is made for public transportation. Rio will soon take ownership of BRT,» Samson said. The secretary also noted that the priority of the city government is to integrate the bus systems, and discourage the use of private vehicles through measures such as tolls for cars.
 
«Along the Transolímpica corridor there will be a toll for those who choose to use the car while the BRT will operate freely,» he said.
 
All four corridors – Transoeste, Transcarioca, Transolímpica and Transbrasil – are expected to be completed by 2016. The complete system will extend more than 150 kilometers, one of the largest public transit systems in the world, with a total investment of RS 5 billion from public and private partnerships.
 
 
 
 
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Delhi row over bus lane reveals class divide

Source: BBC News
 
A government initiative to reduce traffic chaos in the Indian capital, Delhi, by creating a special fast lane for bus users has run into a major controversy.
 
The city’s first experimental Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor system allows bus users a smooth ride through traffic congestion, but it is facing legal challenge from a group which represents car users.
 
The petition has also exposed the class divide in the Indian society.
 
The Delhi High Court is to soon rule on the petition seeking to scrap the BRT corridor.
 
The petitioners say that private car owners are suffering because of the preferential treatment given to public transport.
 
Class divide?
 
«Car owners are the creators of wealth. Do you realise that they get exhausted sitting in their cars due to traffic jams and they reach office completely tired? It affects their efficiency. Do you want them to perform less?» asks the main petitioner BB Sharan.
 
His NGO, Nyayabhoomi, has argued in the court that the system has slowed down the traffic and created problems for the people, «without any evident advantage to bus users».
 
But Geetam Tiwari, a road safety expert and professor at Delhi’s Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), disagrees. She says the definition of «people» should include those who walk to work or use bicycles and buses.
 
«The problem of car users, who are in a minority, is being portrayed in the press as the people’s problem. The fact is that less than 10% people in Delhi use private cars. More than 33% travel by buses and 30% walk to work,» she says.
 
Prof Tiwari believes that the BRT is the only answer to Delhi’s growing traffic problems, where 1,500 to 1,600 vehicles are registered daily. Government figures show that the number of private vehicles in Delhi has grown from 3.3 million in 2000-01 to nearly seven million in 2010-11.
 
Huge challenges
 
As the capital of one of the world’s fastest growing economies, Delhi faces huge infrastructure challenges.
 
Experts say one of the main reasons for the exponential rise in private vehicles in the city is a lack of adequate public transport network and acute shortage of comfortable buses for its over 16 million people.
 
The Metro rail network, introduced in December 2002, has indeed taken some of the burden off the roads, but it is still a work in progress and does not cover large parts of the city.
 
Prof Tiwari was part of the expert group which came up with the idea of the BRT in 1995. She told the BBC that the inspiration came from the Brazilian city of Curitiba which has had the bus rapid transit corridor since 1975.
 
However, it took the Indian government more than a decade to finalise its urban transport policy which promised to allocate more road space to people rather than vehicles, which meant public transport would get priority over private cars.
 
The initial plan to construct 14 such fast-track bus corridors in Delhi was put on hold after the 2008 decision to dedicate the first 5.8km (3.6-mile)-long stretch for buses created controversy.
 
In the summer this year, the Delhi high court temporarily allowed private vehicles to use the bus corridor and ordered the government to assess the feasibility of the project.
 
The Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), which conducted trial runs to record the difference in traffic flow, in its 203-page report concluded that the corridor was «impractical» and its «faulty design» was causing traffic problems.
 
It said the BRT lane caused chaos because it was in the middle of the road and people wanting to board the bus had to cross the busy road to get to the bus stops.
 
The CRRI said that 71% bus users wanted bus stops by the side of the road.
 
However, in a hearing last month, the court supported the concept of an exclusive corridor for public transport and asked the government to «find a mechanism to remove the problem to save BRT».
 
But critics said the CRRI study ignored the version of bus users and relied only on what the car owners had to say.
 
Social bias?
 
The head of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Sunita Narayan says the study glosses over its own figures.
 
«Cars use more space; crowd the road and move far fewer people. The problem is that people do not matter in our cities; cars do. In this situation, BRT becomes the hate symbol while people waste time in traffic jams,» Ms Narayan wrote in the latest issue of Down to Earth magazine.
 
Commentators say the whole debate over private versus public transport reflects the mindset that believes in the great social divide that has existed in Delhi since the Moghul period.
 
Prof Pushpesh Pant says the debate manifests the class divide in a status-conscious city where a car is considered more of a status symbol than a convenient mode of transport.
 
Rich versus poor
 
Mr Sharan, the man spearheading the campaign against the BRT, dismisses the argument. He says those who travel in their own cars are the decision-makers, therefore, they should get a priority over buses. He believes that bus users can wait because they are engaged in less important jobs.
 
«You cannot keep a commander-in-chief waiting in traffic while his army is waiting for his orders. How does it matter if a peon reaches office five minute before time?» Mr Sharan asks.
 
But what about those who travel by buses?
 
Salman, a young technician from Bihar, is part of the huge workforce that depends on the public transport to get from one place to another.
 
He says it is not fair to give preference to car users.
 
«It is more important that we reach the office on time rather than the employers because we are the ones who do the work, not them,» says Salman.
 
Another bus commuter, Avinash Chaudhary, is bitter about the whole debate.
 
«Car users are generally big officials or influential people. Nobody is going to mark them absent even if they reach office four hours’ late. But a daily wage earner, who gets 150 rupees ($2.70, £1.70) a day, is marked absent if he doesn’t report for work on time. India belongs to rich people only,» he says.
 
Meanwhile, the petitioners say they will continue to contest the case till the very end because they think the car owners in Delhi are being treated unfairly.
 
 
 
 
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Plans begin for Bus Rapid Transit system in Perth's north (Australia)

Source: WA Today
 
Design work has started on a bus rapid transit system between Ellenbrook and Bassendean train station.
 
Transport Minister Troy Buswell today announced AECOM had been awarded a $630,000 tender to develop concept designs for the new system.
 
The BRT was announced last year as part of the state government’s 20-year, $4 billion public transport plan, which also includes a light-rail network between Mirrabooka and the city, trains to Yanchep and heavy rail connecting Perth Airport to the CBD.
 
Mr Buswell said the BRT would have dedicated priority within existing streets and would move more people in one road lane than cars.
 
By 2031 it would accommodate 6500 users daily.
 
«The BRT system will provide improved journey times, enhanced bus stops/stations and strategically-located park and ride facilities,» Mr Buswell said.
 
«The BRT design will include planning for stations, integration with existing and planned land use and transport networks, park and ride facilities and bus priority treatment.
 
«This work will help to identify any key construction issues and any impacts the BRT may have on the broader transport network.»
 
The Minister said that development of the concept designs would include consultation with key stakeholders, including the Public Transport Authority, Main Roads, Department of Planning and local government.
 
The concept design work is expected to be completed by March 2013.
 
 
 
 
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Mayor Bloomberg Praises "Evolution" of Rio de Janeiro

Source: EMBARQ
 
Urban leaders gather to celebrate opening of new bus rapid transit corridor.
 
After coordinating the meeting of the C40 Climate Leadership Group and visiting the Morro da Babilônia favela, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg met officials at the Rio Operations Center on June. The city officials were led by Mayor Eduardo Paes and accompanied by EMBARQ Director Holger Dalkmann, EMBARQ Chief Operating Officer Clayton Lane, EMBARQ Brazil Director and member of our Centre of Excellence Luis Antonio Lindau, and World Resources Institute Media Director Michael Oko. Also present was Carlos Osorio, secretary general of the Organizing Committee for the 2016 Olympic Games.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The partnership between EMBARQ and the city of Rio de Janeiro has grown closer during the design phase of the new bus rapid transit system. With funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies, EMBARQ Brazil provided technical assistance to the city through conducting road safety audits of the project.
 
«Bloomberg Philanthropies has invested heavily in the BRT project in Rio de Janeiro, helping to improve road safety, reduce crashes and save lives. This was only possible through a partnership with EMBARQ,» said Paes in front of journalists at the Operations Center.
 
«I was in Rio 20 years ago and I can see the differences, primarily in the actions of people. The city has evolved. I saw many smiles around here. I think the locals are following the right path toward sustainability,» Bloomberg said.
 
 
 
 
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BRT is the way forward

Source: Opinion on O Globo by Luis Antonio Lindau, president of EMBARQ Brazil and member of our Centre. Published on September, 7th, 2012.
 
 
One of Brazil’s biggest challenges is to implement extensive and high quality public transportation networks in large cities.
 
We gave away the urban road space to cars. Today we seek for solutions to one of the worst impacts of this wrong decision: traffic jams. Many of us believe that only metro systems can save mobility, as metros already proved to be effective in cities that developed extensive networks formed by several lines.
 
London and New York metro networks are longer than 350 km, and were consolidated half a century ago. Beijing and Shanghai are getting there: in the last 12 years, jumped from scarce 50 to over 350 km, as result of huge state investments. In Brazil, in spite of 30 years of metro construction, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo still lack a comprehensive network, having not yet achieved 50 and 100 km, respectively.
 
Metros are very costly and require long periods for implementation. Isolated lines will not solve the transportation problem of our several large cities. If we continue to believe that the only solution to traffic congestion relies on a system that in Brazil expands at an average rate of 3 km per year, we are doomed to a future even more chaotic.
 
In the current world scenario, dictated by public-private partnerships, it is hard to imagine the construction of large metro networks in any Brazilian city. The private sector is interested in projects with positive financial returns. Its metro participation is thus narrowed to lines with heavy demand potential.
 
We know that investing only in public transportation is not enough to solve traffic congestion. To discourage car use, we must count on an integrated transit network of high quality. That is why more than a hundred cities around the world reordered the use of the road surface, dedicating a 3.5 m wide lane to public transport, which carries up to ten times more people than cars. Several of them also added to that connectivity, speed and reliability, some of the transit users´ most desired attributes.
 
A proper public transportation network needs to connect multiple sectors of a city over long periods of time. Its vehicles must circulate free of traffic congestion, operate under short intervals and guarantee arrivals on time. The “metronization” of the buses, a concept originally applied by former mayor Jaime Lerner in Curitiba, today matches stopping, accelerated and express services, making BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) the most efficient user of the urban road surface.
 
Rio de Janeiro is consolidating its integrated transportation network with BRT corridors that will exceed 150 km by 2016. The recently inaugurated Transoeste corridor has been approved by 90% of its users. This very positive rating follows the trend of other BRT, like Metrobus in Mexico City. In a city wide poll promoted by Reforma newspaper in 2011, BRT beat even the metro as the best transit system: 7.8 to 6.9.
 
The attack to urban road congestion must begin with setting up a fully integrated and high quality transit network that appeals most citizens. That is the premise to contain the unrestricted use of cars. But when will we get there? To implement high quality public transportation networks, consistent with our financial reality, how about forgetting the sterile discussion on metro versus BRT and start acting?
 
 
 
 
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Do Bus Rapid Transit right, and it won’t get killed

Source: Next American City
 
In Delhi, India, a poorly planned system causes congestion and delays for bus, car and pedestrian traffic. The problem: It’s not true BRT. Credit: ITDP
 
The growth in popularity of bus rapid transit (BRT) in the U.S. is providing American cities with an important public transit option that has already been shown to reduce congestion and improve quality of life for urban residents around the world. As new BRT systems are planned, however, it is increasingly important that they meet the emerging industry-standard definition of what constitutes true BRT.
 
Such a standard will guard against the missteps described in this post by Dan Malouff, which detailed two failed attempts at quasi-BRT systems in the U.S. and India.
 
Earlier this year, the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, together with many of the world’s leading BRT experts, introduced The BRT Standard: Version 1.0, currently in its pilot year and set for wide distribution in 2013. As the metrics of this scoring system demonstrate, the two examples Malouff cites are very clearly not best practices — nor are they even BRT.
 
The bus system in Delhi, India, for example, scores a 22 (out of 100) and falls well below what is required for a system to be considered BRT. Stations, placed at intersections, leave insufficient space for free left turns (the equivalent of free right turns in the U.S.), and left-turning vehicles yielding to pedestrians back up traffic. In addition, failing to eliminate turns across the busway significantly slows both bus and car traffic, and fares are collected onboard the bus, which slows boarding times. There is no off-board fare collection, a key aspect of BRT. The system also allows non-BRT buses into the bus lane, so there is no consistency in at-level boarding — which doesn’t require passengers to step up to board and is a critical element to a smooth BRT experience.
 
All of these issues reduce overall bus speeds on the corridor, thereby reducing passenger comfort. Finally, stations are not of a particularly high quality and are generally poorly maintained. No wonder the city’s high court is considering opening these bus lanes up to car traffic.
 
Virginia’s Shirley Highway Busway, while once a well-functioning bus lane on a highway, lacked many of the quality-of-service features necessary to make it a world-class BRT system. There were no permanent stations and no off-board fare collection. As its conduit was a highway lane, it was never integrated with bicycling and walking infrastructure. In addition, the frequency of buses was too low, leading to the none-too-rare sight of an empty lane flanking a congested highway. The state has since reduced restrictions on cars allowed in the bus lane, and will soon even permit single-occupant vehicles to use it.
 
The reality is that dismantling a BRT system only happens when the quality of the system is already too low for it to be viewed as a permanent part of the city’s infrastructure. Cleveland’s HealthLine BRT corridor, which features high-quality stations, off-board fare collection, median-aligned dedicated bus lanes and at-level boarding, is a leading example in the U.S. of a world-class BRT project. The HealthLine joins the ranks of other internationally recognized leaders such as Ahmedabad’s Janmarg in India, Johannesburg’s Rea Vaya in South Africa and the Guangzhou BRT in China.
 
Such systems have never been, nor are they likely to be, dismantled with the stroke of a pen. They continue to be trusted to maintain their exclusive lanes, and to remain a permanent part of the urban form in their respective home cities.
 
 
 
 
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Course: Innovation in the design and operation of urban public transport systems

The Transport Innovation Centre (CENIT) of the Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña (Barcelona, Spain) invited our Director, Juan Carlos Muñoz, to give this 10 teaching hours course on September 3-4, 2012. The group of 45 participants included authorities, operators, professors, researchers and students involved in the public transport area.
 
The focus of the course, which was given in Spanish, was to explain some of the main research findings of our Centre of Excellence. The state of practice of BRT implementations around the world was described, and a critic analysis of their planning was presented, with special focus on the case of Transantiago (Santiago, Chile).
 
More information in the following documents (in Spanish):
 
Course brochure
Introduction to the BRT Centre of Excellence
BRT Corridors Around the World
Operation and Fare Integration
Key Attributes for Route and Mode Election
Design of Express Services
Real Time Control in Buses
 
 
 
 
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Evaluate, Enable, Engage: Principles to Support Effective Decision Making in Mass Transit Investment Programs

Source: EMBARQ
 
Between 2000 and 2030, developing countries are expected to build more urban area than has been built throughout human history. Urban populations in China and India will grow by at least 600 million residents by 2030, roughly twice the current population of the entire United States. Without major mobility investments, many rapidly growing cities will face traffic and economic gridlock.
 
Against a backdrop of increasing urban mobility demands and growing concerns about the impacts of climate change, more national governments are investing in the development of urban and metropolitan mass transit systems. Within the last 10 years, national governments in several populous countries with quickly growing economies, including India, Mexico, and Brazil, have introduced programs to fund at least a portion of the construction costs of new mass transit systems. They join countries with more mature transport infrastructure, including France, the United Kingdom and the United States, that have continued and, in some cases, increased their investments in mass transit.
 
This report from EMBARQ examines 13 existing national mass transit investment programs from the perspective of informed decision making. Based on the reviewed national programs, the report identifies three principles to foster effective decision making in national mass transit investment:

• Rationale
• Deliverability
• Local buy-in

The insights will be of use to administrators of national mass transit investment programs that are identifying areas for improvement, national governments that are introducing new programs, and representatives of multilateral institutions that are helping to structure such programs.
 
Download full report here English (PDF, 70 pages, 4.32 MB)
 
 
 
 
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Next Stop, Supreme Court, for Delhi’s Bitter Bus Corridor Battle

Source: The New York Times
 
Photo: Prakash Singh/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
 
Delhi’s experiment with efficient public road transportation, in the form of the Bus Rapid Transit corridor, has devolved into a court battle that pitches the city’s wealthy, car-owning minority against the majority of road users.
 
The next step may be the highest court in the land. The Delhi government plans to appeal to India’s Supreme Court to keep the corridor car-free if Delhi’s high court, which is hearing the case now, decides that cars should be allowed in the bus-only lanes, an official in Delhi’s Transport Department told India Ink on Monday.
 
Delhi’s buses are residents’ most important method of transportation in the city of over 16 million. Fewer than 20 percent of road users in Delhi travel in private vehicles, including cars and scooters, while about half of all road users in Delhi commute by bus, according to the RITES Delhi Traffic and Forecast Study. The rest use bicycles or three-wheeled auto-rickshaws, or go by foot.
 
The BRT corridor, which is modeled after other systems in high-traffic cities like Bogota, was designed to make bus and bicycle travel safer and faster, and encourage travel that does not involve cars. It features a bicycle-only lane and a center lane just for buses.
 
Whether the corridor, which was completed in April 2008, has been a success depends on which camp you ask. It has saved lives, but it has also increased the travel time for car drivers. Whether it has shortened bus travel times depends on which research you read.
 
Drivers and their advocates are so upset that they have filed a flurry of court petitions, demanding that the corridor be shut. News coverage in some English-language newspapers, particularly The Times of India, has often been sympathetic to these drivers, calling the corridor a “nightmare” and “a volcano waiting to erupt.”
 
An interim court order last week directed the government to allow private vehicles to use the corridor reserved for buses. A final judgment on whether to overturn it altogether is due this month from the Delhi High Court.
 
According to B.B. Sharan, a retired colonel who is one of the petitioners who wants the corridor open to all vehicles, “only 50 buses plied on the corridor in an hour while the number of other vehicles was 40 to 50 times the number of buses.”
 
Traffic jams are a common sight on the carriageway next to the bus lane, he said. “It is unfair to give so little space to car users. Not a single car user has started using the bus; nobody has benefited from this,” he added.
 
Not everybody agrees with his claim.
 
“The number of fatal accidents reduced from an average of 9 to 10 accidents per year between 2001 and 2006 to 2 in 2009 on the stretch,” said Geetam Tiwari, Professor for Transport Planning at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.
 
Ms. Tiwari was one of the authors of the report “Delhi on the Move: 2005,” which proposed the BRT concept and was presented to the Transport Department in 1995.
 
“Fatal accidents involving bicyclists have not occurred in the bicycle lane since 2008,” she added.
 
Dunu Roy, director of Hazards Centre in New Delhi, a nongovernmental organization, agreed with this assessment. “After the BRT became operational, not only have fatalities gone down dramatically, accidents have gone down too,” he said.
 
Private vehicle use is rising fast in New Delhi and most Indian metropolises: An average of 1317 vehicles, including auto-rickshaws and scooters, were added to Delhi roads every day during the 2010-11 fiscal year according to Delhi Statistical Handbook 2011, of these 95 percent were private cars and two wheelers.
 
Soon, Delhi’s roads won’t be able to handle the traffic, transportation experts say, making introduction of systems like the BRT necessary. “The capacity of roads in Delhi will be exceeded by 2021 on most major roads and junctions,” said Ms. Tiwari.
 
Convincing private vehicle owners to use public transportation remains a difficult task in India. Car-pooling web sites have sprung up recently, but bus transportation is widely seen as inconvenient, crowded and unsafe for women.
 
Advocates of the Bus Rapid Transit corridor argue that the interim court decision negates the corridor’s original purpose. “Allowing other vehicles in the corridor essentially destroys the corridor. There is space for everyone, but the concern of minority car users seems to influence the city engineers and traffic managers,” Ms. Tiwari said.
 
Even research related to the BRT is controversial. Mr. Roy of the Hazards Centre said there are multiple problems with an interim report by the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), a national research organization, which is the basis of the interim high court order.
 
The CRRI had conducted a trial run between May 12 and May 23 allowing private vehicles in the bus corridor. In its report the institute concluded that traffic moved faster when other vehicles were allowed in the corridor than when they were barred, but the report did not make note of accidents or fatalities.
 
“Their report is completely unscientific,” Mr. Roy said. He pointed out that in the Terms of Reference the government asked for comparisons with the BRT corridor and mixed vehicle corridors on other roads. Instead, Mr. Roy said, “the CRRI modified the BRT corridor itself and compared the results.”
 
Subhamay Gangopadhyay, director of the institute declined to comment on the findings of the interim report and said that he would only speak once the final report is submitted to the Delhi High Court on July 12.
 
Zubeda Begum, the lawyer representing the Delhi government’s transport department, said that she had not looked at the CRRI interim findings but said that the organization was not an expert on the matter.
 
Despite the pending legal dispute, the Press Trust of India quoted Sheila Dikshit, Delhi’s chief minister, last month as saying that her government “will commission more BRT routes in the city as a means to promote public transport, as a bulk of passengers were ‘happy’ with the existing facility,” but provided no further details.
 
 
 
 
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BRTdata.org Updates

Source: EMBARQ
 
BRTdata.org, which features more than 90 geographic, statistical and service-level indicators, has been releasing updates, adding information on new lines from Mexico City to Rio de Janeiro.
 
The website features the most comprehensive, public database of bus rapid transit (BRT) systems around the world, launched on April 2 by our Centre of Excellence and EMBARQ, in collaboration with the International Energy Agency.
 
The last updates includes data now includes 143 cities’ BRT systems, representing more than 23 million daily riders. Some key updates added in this update include the Database’s newest cities, Winnipeg, Canada; Jaboatão dos Guararapes, Brazil; Stockton, the United States; Miyagi, Japan in addition to corridor updates in several South American cities in Brazil and Colombia, Australia and Japan.
 
The changes are listed in the Changelog of the website. Here are the highlights:
 
New corridors

• Jaboatão dos Guararapes, Brazil
• Stockton, the United States
• Miyagi, Japan
• Winnipeg, Canada

Modifications to existing systems/corridors

• Bogotá: city population, metropolitan population
• Guadalajara: station boarding level
• Lima: station boarding level
• Mexico City, corridors línea 1 and línea 4: # trunk routes
• Pereira: station boarding level
• Rio de Janeiro, all corridors: daily demand, peak load, # stations and station spacing
• Santiago: station boarding level
• Sydney, all corridors: system length
• Uberlândia: capital cost, infrastructure cost and equipment cost
• Vancouver: # trunk routes
• All Latin American systems: year system commenced
• Porto Alegre, all corridors: daily demand and peak load
• Santiago, all corridors: daily demand, peak load and frequency
• Santiago, corridors Parajitos Norte and Pajaritos Sur: corridor length, length of segregated lanes, # stations, and station spacing
• Santiago, corridors Suiza-Las Rejas and Santa Rosa Norte: length of segregated lanes

“This database helps researchers, transportation agencies, municipal authorities and NGOs to understand and make decisions to improve systems and BRT bus lanes in their cities” says Dario Hidalgo, director of research and practice for EMBARQ and member of our CoE.
 
BRTdata.org will continue to publish new or updated data on the second Thursday of each month.
 
 
 
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Opinion Pieces: The simple logic of getting people out of their cars and onto public transport

Opinion Pieces: since 2007, Prof. David Hensher has written an opinion column in the Australasian Bus and Coach magazine, where he monthly discusses a lot of different transport-related hot topics. In this section we are revisiting these columns.
 
September 2011
 
This opinion piece may well turn out to be the most ‘influential’ piece I have written since we started the monthly series in October 2007. The careful selection of words is quite a craft and one that begs indulgence to have maximum impact. During the Emerging Crises Summit on Cities, Population, Climate Change and Energy titled Moving People Solutions for a Growing Australia in Parliament House, Canberra (July 6 2011), I was on a panel gazetted for Road Pricing Reform. The Chair decided that Road Pricing is a long way off in terms of political agendas (despite all the lip service), and that we should focus our panel discussion on themes where we believe governments might be interested, and where they could make a difference in public transport reform.
 
I (and Bob Carr, former Premier of NSW) was asked to identify one very specific initiative that government’s could support (especially Federal Government) that could make a real difference to improving the performance of metropolitan transport systems.
 
My response, almost as if it had been brewing for many years, was to “flood the market with buses”. I connected this response to my earlier question (Opinion piece June 2011) – How many buses could the NW rail project in Sydney buy? Allowing for extra drivers, which has significant employment benefits, the current 4,000 buses operating in the Sydney metropolitan area, could be increased to at least 12,000, a three-fold increase in service capacity.
 
In anticipation of a loud yell of disapproval, I anticipated what the response would be. Specifically, people have told me that this would create a crisis on the roads with horrendous traffic congestion consequent on buses mixing with cars and trucks. My response is simple and accurate – if the real drivers of getting people out of their cars and into public transport are connectivity (the door-to-door element of travel, including integrated seamless multi-modal ticketing), frequency, regularity and visibility, which most would agree are the key factors, then a 300 percent increase in the service capacity of buses spread throughout the metropolitan area (or at least in areas where we believe public transport can make a difference), must surely result is some noticeable modal switching from the car, with a consequent positive impact on traffic congestion.
 
Given the substantial three-fold increase in service capacity, if this fails to make a dent on car use and hence traffic congestion, then what hope is there for any public transport initiative (be it new infrastructure and or new service levels) to contribute to reducing traffic congestion? Surely the failure of this initiative would send a signal about the disconnect between building the NWRail project (as one example of spending a lot of money on one narrowly focused project given the needs of entire metropolitan areas) and what it will do as a narrow corridor-specific initiative in impacting on traffic congestion (which I personally believe it will have very little impact).
I suspect that many politicians would agree with me, but so few if any would say so.
 
 
Food for thought
 
 
 
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Tampa breaks ground on first bus rapid transit line

Source: Roads & Bridges
 
Tampa, Florida, USA, city officials broke ground on August for a new bus rapid transit line expected to open in spring 2013. The new line is part of the growing MetroRapid system, the city’s first BRT service.
 
Hillsborough Area Rapid Transit (HART) will oversee the project, which will connect downtown Tampa with Fletcher Avenue and I-75. The agency estimates that bus rapid transit will shorten the travel time of the 17.5-mile route by approximately 15 percent.
 
BRT would act as a viable public transit alternative to high-speed rail, a plan for which was vetoed by Gov. Rick Scott in 2011.
 
Funding for the project will largely come from the Hillsborough County Community Investment Tax. Monetary breakdown includes $31 million for design, land acquisition and construction; $1.75 million for a park-and-ride facility on Fletcher Avenue; and $2 million for transit signal priority, which allows buses to automatically get green lights at major intersections.
 
The north-south route will ultimately join up with an east-west line that includes Tampa International Airport and the Westshore Business District.
 
 
 
 
 
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New Publication: Sustainable Development 2012-2050

Source: EMBARQ
Photos: Mariana Gil / EMBARQ Brazil.
 
More than a year ago, engineer Fernando Almeida began convening 19 experts in various fields of sustainability to publish Desenvolvimento Sustentável 2012-2050: Visão, Rumos e Contradições («Sustainable Development 2012-2050: Vision, Ways and Contradictions.») The collection was launched on June 15 in Rio de Janeiro. The book is marked by a transdisciplinary approach to issues such as environment, climate, economy, transportation, and others, all issues relevant to discussions on the agenda at Rio+20.
 
Between pages 175 and 193, the reader will find the chapter «Sustainable Transport in the Urban Century», by Director of EMBARQ Brazil and member of our Centre Luis Antonio Lindau, the former president of the World Resources Institute (WRI) Jonathan Lash, and political scientist Jacob Koch.
 
The night-time launch was attended by Director of EMBARQ Holger Dalkmann, as well as EMBARQ’s Chief Operating Officer Clayton Lane, EMBARQ Brazil’s Director of Strategic Relations and Development Rejane D. Fernandes and former mayor of Bogotá (1998-2001) Enrique Peñalosa.
 
Below is an excerpt from the conclusion of «Sustainable Transport in the Urban Century»:
 
Cities are at a crossroads in our battle against poverty, climate change and environmental degradation. We have a choice to make. We have before us two paths. The cities can be the engine of change and transformation and point the way towards a sustainable future; a life with low greenhouse gas emissions and continued prosperity. Or cities can lead to consumption patterns that pollute, irrevocably destroy and hurt our fragile planet and increase the gap between rich and poor.
 
The carbon footprint of people living in cities served by a system of high-density, mixed transportation is smaller than those living in regions that depend on the car to get around. They are also happier, richer and safer. Where you live determines your lifestyle and your environmental impact.
 
Are Brazilian cities ready to face the challenges and make the right choices for a sustainable future? Are they ready to compete with other cities in the world for international investments? Or will chronic lack of infrastructure prevent the expected growth? Will local governments obtain the technical capability and expertise to plan and implement complex transportation projects? Where will the next ideas to push the city forward come from? Who will propose the next innovation in sustainable transport?
 
The short-term thinking prevalent among politicians concerned with the next election will not be enough. Without the voice of the people demanding policy decisions promoting sustainable transport, it is unlikely that the current situation will improve.
 
Cities need to inspire a leadership dedicated to planning long-term sustainability to receive the permanent changes they need.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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New Global Database on Bus Rapid Transit Launched

 
BRTdata.org provides most robust data to improve mobility and reduce carbon emissions from transit
 
 
Editor’s note: A webinar on the new brtdata.org database was held on Tuesday, April 10, at 12:00 p.m. EDT. Watch the recorded webinar here.
 
 
 
Washington (April 2, 2012) – Four global organizations have teamed up to launch the most comprehensive, public database of bus rapid transit (BRT) systems around the world. The new site, BRTdata.org, was created by the Across Latitudes and Cultures Bus Rapid Transit Centre of Excellence through EMBARQ, the World Resources Institute’s center for sustainable transport. The Database was created in collaboration with the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the Asociación Latinoamericana de Sistemas Integrados de Transporte y BRT (SIBRT).
 
BRT is one of the fastest growing public transport systems. Approximately 134 cities worldwide— from Bogota to Beijing— have implemented BRT systems or priority bus corridors, serving more than 22 million passenger trips daily.
 
BRT is a mode of public transport that flexibly combines stations, vehicles, services, running ways and intelligent transportation system elements into an integrated system.
 
“The new website provides reliable and up-to-date data to help researchers, transit agencies, city officials, and NGOs understand and make better decisions to improve BRT and bus corridors in their cities,” said Dario Hidalgo, member of ALC-BRT CoE and Director of Research and Practice, EMBARQ. “This is the first time that all of this publicly available data has been compiled in one place, but there is still more information available. We invite transit agencies and researchers to help us improve the knowledge base by sharing additional data to fill in the gaps.”
 
The new website allows users to compare BRT systems and bus corridors in all 134 cities in 36 countries. The database includes 95 different indicators on system operations, design and cost, including metrics like the number of passengers per day, commercial speed, and the length of corridors.
 
There is growing interest and demand for BRT as cities seek low-cost, sustainable urban transportation solutions. As the number of BRT systems increases, it is important to have current, accurate, and complete information about existing and planned systems.
 
The development of an online database was a joint data-sharing effort. EMBARQ and ALC-BRT CoE collected data mostly from Latin America, and the IEA contributed data from other regions.
 
“Previously, there was no single point of publicly accessible information about the worldwide BRT industry, and it was especially difficult to get an assessment of the industry’s size and how it was changing over time,” ALC-BRT CoE Director Juan Carlos Munoz said. “We finally have the right tools to set standards for this dynamic industry.”
 
Using information from this dataset, the IEA has estimated the energy and carbon dioxide (CO2) benefits of BRT implementation, and outlined several CO2-mitigation scenarios that rely in part on modal shift from light duty vehicles to public transit, including BRT. The IEA plans to recognize the extensive potential of BRT in its upcoming biennial report, “Energy Technology Perspectives 2012,” calling for the total network length of BRT systems to double by 2020.
 
“BRT is growing in importance as a transit alternative,» said Tali Trigg, energy analyst, IEA. «This database will be helpful to planners, and is an essential component in calculating energy efficient scenarios which inform decision makers of practical ways of transitioning to a more secure, sustainable and affordable energy future.”
 
Following are just a few examples of the data that is available from the new website:

• Worldwide, 129 new corridors have been implemented since 2000, and 37 since 2010.
• Latin American systems move more than 50 percent of global BRT daily passenger trips.
• 25 Brazilian cities have 87 bus corridors, totaling more than 560 kilometers– more than any other country.
• 18 of Asia’s 24 BRT systems began operations since 2006.
• Systems in 13 U.S. cities together carry nearly 600,000 passenger trips each day.

Watch a screencast tutorial on how to use new website.
 
 
 
 
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Interview to Juan Carlos Muñoz and Darío Hidalgo (in Spanish)

This interview was held in the context of the CASPT12 conference held in Santiago on 23-27 July 2012. Juan Carlos Muñoz and Darío Hidalgo explained the relevance of the conference and the public transport systems of Santiago and Bogotá.
 

 
 
 
 
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ITLS recognised for 21 years of achievement

Recently, The Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies (ITLS) of The University of Sydney, led by the Founding Director, and member of our CoE, Professor David Hensher, celebrated its 21st Anniversary. To learn more about ITLS and its 21 Years of Excellence, take a look at the video appearing below:
 

21 Years of Achievement – ITLS from THINKBOX on Vimeo.

 
Transport and supply chains are vital to the effective operation of our modern world. The Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies, located at the University of Sydney Business School, is dedicated to bringing about improvements within this important domain, by fostering innovation, and communicating best practice.
 
Internationally recognised as a leader in logistics studies, ITLS has forged partnerships around the globe, and regularly invites outstanding international scholars to teach and conduct research at The University of Sydney. ITLS also hosts a unique, regular global forum that provides an opportunity for academics and practitioners to come together and discuss contemporary transport issues.
 
Locally, ITLS is engaged with, and regularly drawn upon by the state Government, to provide research and advice for the provision of public transport services. Recent research on congestion charges and dedicated bus corridors have gained extensive media coverage.
 
The strong leadership and vision of Professor Hensher has much to do with the success of ITLS. In a relatively short time he has built a foundation which bodes well for ITLS achieving even great success in the future. Bravo and thank you to David and his colleagues!
 
Juan de Dios Ortúzar, also member of the CoE, was invited to the celebrations as a Keynote Presentation. His seminar title was: «Road pricing: An impeccable public policy – how can we sell it?». Here you can find David Hensher and Juan de Dios celebrating in Sydney:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Video: interview to Juan Carlos Muñoz regarding Metro de Santiago (in Spanish)

In this interview, our director Juan Carlos Muñoz, analizes the solutions Metro de Santiago is implementing to ensure a good service, considering its current peaks in demand.
 
The interview was recorded on June 15, 2012, by Canal 24 Horas TVN, in Spanish.
 
 

 
 
 
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Interview to Luis Gutiérrez in Latin Infrastructure Quarterly

Source: 4th Issue of Latin Infrastructure Quarterly LIQ4 – page 36 (Jul-Sep 2012)
 
LIQ Talks to Luis Ricardo Gutiérrez, EMBARQ Latin America Strategic Director and General Secretary of the Latin American Association of Integrated Systems and BRT (“SIBRT”)
 
Could you briefly explain EMBARQ and SIBRT?
EMBARQ’s mission is to act as a catalyst and help implement environmentally and financially sustainable transport solutions to improve the quality of life in cities. Since 2002, the network has grown to include five Centers for Sustainable Transport, located in Mexico, Brazil, India, China, Turkey and the Andean Region, that work together with local transport authorities to reduce pollution, improve public health, and create safe, accessible and attractive urban public spaces. The network employs more than 100 experts in fields ranging from architecture to air quality management; geography to journalism; and sociology to civil and transport engineering. SIBRT brings together Latin America’s most influential Integrated Transit Systems and Bus Rapid Transit (“BRT”) agencies. SIBRT facilitates the exchange of knowledge, produces “best practice” studies of the management, standardization, and operation of urban public transport, and proactively promotes Integrated Systems and BRT adoption as the safest, most efficient and sustainable form of mass transit. The Association is committed to quality urban public transportation development. SIBRT is present in 19 cities of 8 countries, which together comprise more than 95 million urban inhabitants. Its Associates provide public transit services to more than 20 million riders per day on more than 700 km of exclusive bus corridors (further information in www.sibrtonline.org). SIBRT was created in April 2010 with headquarters in Curitiba. EMBARQ acts as SIBRT’s General Secretariat.
 
What is the functional concept of BRTs and why are they interesting for Latin America.
BRTs are high-performance transportation solutions for urban corridors with elevated demand. BRT was conceived as an alternative to metros and light rails, which are more expensive, take longer to implement, and are less flexible than BRTs. BRTs, like railways, are one solution to sustainable urban public transportation challenges; they are an important part in managing the complex transportation needs of growing cities.
 
Continue reading the rest of the interview here (pg 36).
 
 
 
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Development Banks Announce "Game Changer" for Sustainable Transport at Rio+20

Source: EMBARQ
 
The world’s largest multi-lateral development banks — led by the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, and others — committed to provide more than $175 billion over 10 years to support sustainable transport in developing countries.
 
The announcement was made at the UN Sustainable Development Conference in Rio de Janeiro (Rio+20) by the African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, CAF- Development Bank of Latin America, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, European Investment Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank, and the World Bank.
 
Following is a statement from EMBARQ’s director, Holger Dalkmann:
 
«This is a game changer for sustainable transport. It will ensure that hundreds of millions of people will have cleaner air, less congested roads, and safer transportation.
 
Ten years ago transportation wasn’t even in the discussion; now it’s a major outcome from the world’s preeminent conference on sustainable development.
 
Banks are putting their money where it matters — on streets built for people, not just cars. The world’s population is expected to surpass 9 billion by 2050, with more than half living in Asia, mostly in urban areas. At the same time, the rate of vehicle ownership is predicted to skyrocket from around 800 million cars a decade ago to around 2 billion in 2030. These two mega-trends are coming together to create an environment where people must compete for financial, institutional, and physical resources. In response, we need better urban designs; more sustainable transportation modes, like walking, biking and mass transit; and improvements in existing vehicle and fuel technology.
 
This investment is not just about improving the way people move from point A to point B; it’s also about providing access and mobility for the poor and improving road safety, not to mention reducing transport-related greenhouse gas emissions. Transport is no small piece of the climate change pie: the sector represents approximately one-quarter of global CO2 emissions.
 
Today’s announcement will no doubt encourage other decision-makers, especially national governments, to consider financing transport projects based on social and environmental benefits. It will push sustainability into the core of urban development.
 
At the same time, we need to make sure that the money gets invested into the right kind of projects, and that there are sound mechanisms to measure its impact. This will require full transparency and independent monitoring.
 
Countries often invest in transportation and infrastructure, but much of that goes into highways. We need to be smarter about where money flows, whether that means creating vibrant public spaces, providing safer infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists, or building high-tech, low-cost transit systems. Doing this would be a paradigm shift in the way we finance the growth of sustainable cities, similar to what the Asian Development Bank has done with its Sustainable Transport Initiative, a lending and technical assistance program for transport projects in Asia and the Pacific that emphasizes inclusive economic and environmentally sustainable growth.
 
EMBARQ, the World Resources Institute’s center for sustainable transport, is a founding member of the Partnership on Sustainable Low Carbon Transport, which helped to catalyze this new financial commitment by the banks.
 
Years from now, we may look back at Rio+20 as the moment when transport was pushed to the top of the sustainability agenda.”
 
 
 
 
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