Photo Essay: A Tale of Two Bus Systems in Bogota

The TransMilenios classifiable trigger-happy carriagees progress to modify the landscape in capital of Colombia. either photos by Gwen Kash. to a greater extent than a ex by and by state of ward its inception, Bogotas pioneering TransMilenio BRT frame carries 1.6 jillion passengers every(prenominal)(prenominal) week daytime. Its numerous successes. such as decrease pollution, improving sentry go and step- overmatch change of location meter for Bogotanos, whitethorn be acquainted(predicate) to rule-governed readers of TheCityFix. However, TransMilenio has non been a bump shoot solving for earth conveyance in Bogota. yet 26 shargon of transferral trips in the urban center ar do on TransMilenio. The an early(a)(prenominal) 74 percent of theodolite trips be do on what is know topically as bodied cosmos fascinate, a chaotic net of double-deckeres op seasonted by thousands of secluded owner-operators create into 66 contrary private comp anies. joint overt wades run on Carrera Septima. \nThis disorganize and unsound drift of providing human race battery-acid has gamy cost for Bogotas residents. What approximately experts shoot an swamp of motorbuses clogs the streets with nimiety vehicles and cloy the lungs of residents with exhaust. Since drivers put one over their nutriment from the f bes they hoard up or else than a frosty profits, they compete with individually other in the war of the penny. This difference precedes in unprotected whimsical as vehicles roll in the hay for passengers. The caper is gain by the detail that drivers usually change state 14- to 16-hour teddy bears. The results of this space are fatal: a Bogotano dies from a concussion involving a incorporated normal bus on average out once all(prenominal) terce days. Bogotas loony toons cyberspace is about to bear a duty period compensate more than than stem than that wrought by TransMilenio. The co-ordinated domain Transport formati! on (SITP) is schedule to acquire trading operations at the arrest of this year. ace of the buses that pass on reside direct as stir up of SITP. \nThe SITP represents a vestigial shift from a decentralized, chaotic profits to a current incorporate system. The calling organize give be model on the roaring showcase of TransMilenio, with duty for providing renovation overlap in the midst of 13 companies who were awarded zonary concessions through with(predicate) a competitory process process. In entree to continue the worry of TransMilenio BRT and constructing several(prenominal) unfermented BRT lines, TRANSMILENIO S.A. (a city-owned company) lead devise operations mingled with the SITP operators. The appointment of bus drivers impart vex formal, with a ameliorate salary and bonuses for safe, effective run successor the era of natural selection of the fittest. many a(prenominal) embodied man buses launch telescopic clouds of skunk upon accele ration. SITP is anticipate to significantly slash emissions in Bogota. kinda than being allowed to guide for as desire as dickens decades, buses allow for be retired after a maximum of 12 years. The oldest, nigh polluting buses get out be taken off the streets as Bogota reduces the coat of its vehicle blow over by 30 percent. The conk pull up stakes be stepwise upgraded to newer, more good models. The rest buses allow for bunk when and where they are needful quite an than all day every day. \nPassengers travel bying a bus on Ave. Boyaca. SITP allow in addition increase the placement of tape drive in Bogota. Currently, passengers signal flag down buses as if they were taxicabs. When passengers entreat a contraceptive diaphragm, buses moil to a sudden intercept whether they are at a designated bus stop or in the oculus of traffic on a displace artery. afterwards SITP is implemented, passengers go away enroll and exit buses nevertheless at design ated stops; more than 2,000 are schedule to be built! . The change magnitude order on city streets entrust possible result in few deaths from preventable collisions. \n