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BRT International Even a brief survey of planned or existing BRT lines around the world reveals that in virtually every corner of the globe, cities are increasingly looking to Bus Rapid Transit as a viable transit solution. TransMilenio – Bogota, Columbia The TransMilenio system in Bogota, Columbia, is the latest superstar of full-blown BRT lines, having just celebrated its 100 millionth passenger since commencing service in December 2000. The line now encompasses a 50-mile network of trunk corridors and boasts ridership of approximately 1.4 million people per day. TransMilenio is the centerpiece of Bogota’s long-term urban renewal and mobility strategy, which prioritizes walking and cycling and discourages private vehicle use. The system relies on high capacity buses, exclusive right-of-ways, and high service frequencies to achieve its impressive capacity of 41,000 passengers per hour per direction (pphpd). According to a recent report by the National Bus Rapid Transit Institute for the Federal Transit Authority, the Columbian government plans to invest over US $1.4 billion in Transmilenio system expansion and similar systems across the country.1 TransMilenio provides one of the most dramatic illustrations of BRT’s ability to achieve passenger volumes normally associated with rail transit, at a much lower capital cost. Phase I of the TransMilenio cost US $9.4 million per mile, while Phase II cost $21.3 million per mile. Bogota’s Transmilenio. Photo by Peter Danielsson/World Resources Institute. 1 Applicability of Bogota’s TransMilenio BRT System to the United States, Final Report, Bus Rapid Transit Institute (FTA Project No. FL-26-7104-01) (May 2006) (available online at http://tinyurl.com/yt64vh) (last accessed March 6, 2007).
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