Transantiago
Categories: Transportation in Chile | Bus rapid transit
Transantiago is a bus rapid transit system operating in Chile's capital Santiago since October 2005. It aims to replace an older, chaotic system of public transportation run by thousands of independent businessmen. Full implementation of the system is expected to be completed in 2010, at the bicentennial of the country's independence.
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Details
Transantiago's first stage of implementation began on October 22 2005, when a group of ten new companies took control of the capital's public transport system, immediately introducing 1,181 new modern buses (506 18.5 m articulated buses and 574 12 m buses made by Volvo in Brazil), replacing 461 yellow-colored buses from the old system. The new buses will temporarily coexist with the over 7,000 existing older buses, that will be gradually withdrawn from the system until 2010. The second stage of implementation is scheduled to start in May 2006 and will incorporate the Multivía metro fare card on buses as the only paying method; about 5,000 older buses will remain at this stage. Transantiago is expected to become fully operational on October 22 2006 by the integration of five trunk lines and ten feeders, and by the incorporation of recently inaugurated metro lines; 1,776 new buses will operate at this stage through the trunk lines, that include the metro lines; the older yellow-colored buses will only operate through the feeders in conjunction with new but simple buses. It is expected that by 2010, the older buses will be completely replaced by over 4,600 new modern machines.
Objectives
- Encouraging the use of public transportation (metro, buses, taxicabs, bicycles).
- Reducing travel times.
- Enhancing the quality of public transportation, replacing the existing bus fleet.
- Reducing the city's high air pollution levels.
Advantages
- Transantiago will use a single prepaid card called Multivía, currently in use by the metro system. This means bus drivers won't act as cashiers.
- Different areas of the city will be covered by different bus companies, and bus drivers will be paid a fixed salary, thus discouraging racing competitions among buses.