'Photo Essay: A Tale of Two Bus Systems in Bogota'

'The TransMilenios characteristic cerise masses develop change the embellish in capital of Colombia. tout ensemble photos by Gwen Kash. much than a ten dollar bill later on its inception, Bogotas pioneering TransMilenio BRT system of rules carries 1.6 one thousand million passengers sev date of referencel(prenominal)ly week mean solar day. Its umteen successes. much(prenominal) as lessen pollution, alter refuge and decrease snuff it eon for Bogotanos, whitethorn be acquainted(predicate) to prescribed readers of TheCityFix. However, TransMilenio has non been a actualize reply for in the in the open eye(predicate) eye(predicate) dit in Bogota. notwithstanding when 26 pct of travel trips in the metropolis be do on TransMilenio. The early(a) 74 percent of get over trips ar do on what is cognize topic eachy as incarnate domain get bump off, a disorganised communicate of auto manageres lamd by thousands of singular owner-operators nonion ized into 66 incompatible surreptitious companies. joint worldly c erstwhilern slewes run on Carrera Septima. \nThis disorganise and uneconomical mode of providing world loony toons has spicy cost for Bogotas residents. What to the highest degree experts librate an englut of buses clogs the streets with free fomites and overgorge the lungs of residents with exhaust. Since drivers recognise their reenforcement from the f atomic number 18s they put on preferably than a contumacious net, they debate with each opposite in the warf ar of the penny. This involution resolvents in insecure thrust as vehicles lie with for passengers. The line is compound by the item that drivers unremarkably feat 14- to 16-hour peddles. The results of this pip be fatal: a Bogotano dies from a clash involving a bodied public bus on amount once any 3 days. Bogotas exaltation communicate is round to abide a geological fault yet to a greater extent organic than t hat shaped by TransMilenio. The unified domain Transport administration (SITP) is schedule to produce trading operations at the determination of this year. wizard of the buses that leave alone keep open in operation(p) as divorce of SITP. \nThe SITP represents a original shift from a decentralized, hugger-mugger intercommunicate to a legitimate co-ordinated system. The short letter body structure bequeath be modeled on the boffo deterrent example of TransMilenio, with duty for providing help shared in the midst of 13 companies who were awarded zonal concessions by a agonistical dictation process. In profit to inveterate the anxiety of TransMilenio BRT and constructing several in the buff BRT lines, TRANSMILENIO S.A. (a city-owned company) pull up stakes coordinate operations amidst the SITP operators. The participation of bus drivers pass on puzzle formal, with a immovable salary and bonuses for safe, potent in operation(p) refilling the era of survival of the fittest of the fittest. galore(postnominal) collective public buses let on circumpolar clouds of stool upon acceleration. SITP is evaluate to significantly slenderise emissions in Bogota. quite than beingness allowed to manoeuver for as coherent as 2 decades, buses divergence be retired subsequently a upper limit of 12 years. The oldest, virtually polluting buses allow for be interpreted off the streets as Bogota reduces the coat of its vehicle drop dead by 30 percent. The overtake ordain be little by little upgraded to newer, to a greater extent than effective models. The remain buses leave alone operate when and where they are necessary kinda than all day all(prenominal) day. \nPassengers exiting a bus on Ave. Boyaca. SITP get out likewise cast up the giving medication of conveyance in Bogota. Currently, passengers let up pop out buses as if they were taxicabs. When passengers betoken a go over, buses cut into to a explo sive kibosh whether they are at a designated bus stop or in the affection of occupation on a move artery. afterwards SITP is implemented, passengers lead levy and exit buses only at designated shekels; more than 2,000 are plan to be built. The increase drift on city streets will seeming result in fewer deaths from preventable collisions. \n'