More than 180 cities worldwide have chosen a mode of travel that eases congestion and reduces pollution in populated urban areas while luring new riders to public transit because of its speed. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is an innovative, low-cost transit solution that can move large numbers of riders at a fraction of the cost of expensive subway and light rail systems. BRT, whether it is in dedicated right-of-way lanes or in mixed traffic, has proven to be the most successful new form of public transport in decades.
BRT has not only proven to move large number of passengers at a reasonable cost, but systems worldwide are also influencing land use, resulting in millions of dollars of transit-oriented development (TOD) near BRT stations. The Region of York’s VivaNext Rapidways outside of Toronto is estimated to generate CA$3 billion in TOD. VivaNext’s Rapidways is already influencing land use as many millennials are flocking to newly built townhouses, condos and apartments close to the Rapidways stations.
When policymakers and senior transit managers are faced with financial challenges, they must make the most prudent decision that benefits both the riders of transit service and those taxpayers who do not ride but support the service with their tax dollars. In a side-by-side comparison, BRT is significantly cheaper to build and operate than light rail service. The lowest cost light rail system in the U.S. was St. Louis’s Metrolink line, which had a $28.5 million per mile cost while the most expensive was Sound Transit’s Link Light Rail that cost $182 million per mile. Comparatively, a recent cost estimate for AC Transit’s new East Bay BRT line came in at $25 million per mile. The most telling cost analysis came in Denver where the Regional Transit District was faced with the challenge of how to bring a fixed-guideway transit service from Longmont, Colorado, to the Northwest of Denver. An independent assessment by the engineering firm HNTB estimated the initial 11-mile segment of the line would cost $681 million to build using light rail technology while its estimates for BRT were $340 million.
Cities around the globe are using BRT to create sustainable, affordable urban transportation, but Latin America is seeing the greatest results. This geographic region has witnessed a rapid expansion of BRT throughout several of its countries, and millions of passengers are benefitting from these high-quality systems that are directly improving their quality of life.
Close to 20 million passengers ride BRT corridors every day in Latin America out of the 31 million riders worldwide. That means more than 60 percent of all BRT riders are in this region. Knowing this information, it’s no surprise that the two largest BRT systems in the world are in Latin America. More than 12 million people ride the BRT in Brazil daily, followed by the 3 million passengers who ride in Colombia.
Colleagues of mine in Latin America have worked to develop many of these BRT lines — specifically, the one in Lima, Peru. Lima’s El Metropolitano connects 16 districts over a 20-mile area. Its buses run on natural gas, which results in reduced emissions. This operation uses an express lane to speed up the commute, allowing riders to get from point A to point B quicker and easier. BRT also makes roads safer — accidents decreased dramatically in Lima after El Metropolitano was up and running. The application and development of BRT corridors is an important component to road safety. In fact, it has been calculated that BRT has reduced accidents up to 80 percent following implementation.
North American transportation agencies, like New Jersey Transit and Chicago DOT, are also seeing the benefits of implementing BRT in their areas. New Jersey uses its BRT to connect the suburbs to downtown. The BRT makes several stops in suburban neighborhoods before taking the expressway directly into the city, which is attractive to riders because it’s faster than taking a bus on city and side streets.
Back in 2011, Chicago ranked No. 2 for road congestion, according to a study by the Texas Transportation Institute. The city has since been working through its congestion issues. Recently, Chicago made a $150 million investment in its public transit system which includes the Central Loop BRT project, a new bus terminal and a remodeled station. The Central Loop BRT project is scheduled to break ground in March. The project will serve six bus routes, protect bike lanes and connect to the city rail service. Supporters of the project say it will reduce travel times by half.
If a transit agency is considering implementing BRT, the following tips will aid in a successful implementation:
- Make the right upfront investments — BRT belongs in corridors that already have the highest transit ridership. Transit managers know that adding frequency is a much better business decision than providing more coverage. By investing in winning transit options, agencies will gain more ridership, increase the loyalty of existing riders and grow new revenue.
- Know your riders — No consumer likes change, so transit managers should not second guess their riders but rather sell them on the benefits of BRT: faster travel time, enhanced amenities and safer boarding.
- Create flexibility — The fare collection system that you choose to incorporate into the BRT needs to be flexible for future needs. Often riders or operations need change, so it’s important that fare collection can adapt to new business rules and provide seamless travel across all modes of service being operated.
- Information is king — Keep riders informed of delays, when the next bus will arrive, any schedule changes, etc. Real-time information at stations is important, but smartphone applications have become the “king” of real-time information everywhere in the world.
- Access and dependability — Remember the first and last mile, so support riders with way-finding signs and interactive kiosks on platforms that guide riders to local attractions.
I believe that bus rapid transit will continue to grow throughout many geographic regions for two reasons. First, the money for transportation funding continues to shrink, meaning that budgets are getting tighter every year. Building new rail systems are expensive and take years to accomplish, but BRT is substantially cheaper and will improve operations just as effectively as rail. Second, the urbanization trend is not slowing down any time soon. More people are moving to cities causing more congestion and transportation agencies will continue to push for feasible congestion management measures to meet increased demand from customers for transportation services with faster, safer and more convenient ways to get around. Cities around the world, like Lima and Chicago mentioned above, are just two examples that show why a BRT operation is a great solution to alleviate transportation pangs. As more agencies choose to implement BRT in their cities, I believe we will continue to achieve more impressive results.
Sanford Weinberg is vice president, Fare Collection, Public Transit North America, Americas Local Government with Xerox.
