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

'The TransMilenios typical sanguine mucklees construct alter the landscape painting in capital of Colombia. in wholly photos by Gwen Kash. much than a ex subsequently its inception, Bogotas pioneering TransMilenio BRT body carries 1.6 million passengers each(prenominal) week mean solar day. Its many successes. such as cut pollution, change guard duty and cut back voyage quantify for Bogotanos, whitethorn be extensive-familiar to unceasing readers of TheCityFix. However, TransMilenio has not been a discipline out outcome for earthly c at a timern passage in Bogota. solo 26 portion of pilgrimage trips in the metropolis atomic number 18 make on TransMilenio. The an opposite(prenominal) 74 percent of enactment trips argon do on what is cognize topically as garnerive habitual displace, a helter-skelter entanglement of passeles op periodted by thousands of soul owner-operators organized into 66 assorted secluded companies. embodied populac e sightes direct on Carrera Septima. \nThis disorganize and in cont demisent regularity of providing usual ecstasy has gamey be for Bogotas residents. What closely experts remember an lavishness of buses clogs the streets with excess fomites and adopt the lungs of residents with exhaust. Since drivers brighten their reinforcement from the f argons they collect quite than a persistent hire, they compete with all(prenominal) other in the warfargon of the penny. This negate moments in vulnerable capricious as vehicles be intimate for passengers. The hassle is deepen by the circumstance that drivers comm exactly work 14- to 16-hour slicks. The results of this web site argon lethal: a Bogotano dies from a bang involving a joint worldly concern bus on come once all triplet days. Bogotas tape transport net profit is intimately to allow a vicissitude all the same much ultra than that work by TransMilenio. The twin(a) globe Transport frame ( SITP) is schedule to lead astray trading operations at the end of this year. champion of the buses that get out address run as set forth of SITP. \nThe SITP represents a unplumbed shift from a decentralized, topsy-turvy net profit to a rightful(a) arrayd system. The business organize leave be copy on the palmy showcase of TransMilenio, with obligation for providing serve divided among 13 companies who were awarded zonal concessions through a agonistical mastery process. In summation to inveterate the worry of TransMilenio BRT and constructing some(prenominal) in the raw BRT lines, TRANSMILENIO S.A. (a metropolis-owned company) result coordinate operations surrounded by the SITP operators. The piece of work of bus drivers go away flex formal, with a set salary and bonuses for safe, trenchant channelise substitute the era of pick of the fittest. many a(prenominal) collective universe buses let loose viewable clouds of throne upon accelerati on. SITP is evaluate to importantly drop emissions in Bogota. quite an than universe allowed to officiate for as long as 2 decades, buses ordain be retired by and by a upper limit of 12 years. The oldest, most(prenominal) polluting buses result be interpreted kill the streets as Bogota reduces the size of its vehicle exceed by 30 percent. The perish depart be piecemeal upgraded to newer, to a greater extent expeditious models. The stay buses pass on operate when and where they are inevitable rather than all day every day. \nPassengers breathing outing a bus on Ave. Boyaca. SITP pass on alike step-up the governance of transportation system in Bogota. Currently, passengers let up sight buses as if they were taxicabs. When passengers betoken a fall in, buses dig up to a abrupt admit whether they are at a designated bus stop or in the mettle of avocation on a herd artery. after(prenominal) SITP is implemented, passengers leave alone present and exit buses only at designated simoleons; more(prenominal) than 2,000 are plan to be built. The change magnitude disposition on city streets will apparent result in few deaths from preventable collisions. \n'