[sustran] Re: (fwd) [UTSG] transport strategy transfer

[Walter Hook]

trouble is, these bus operators trapped in congestion just cant make a lot
of money to invest in new buses.  the benefits of govt subsidies for new bus
procurement in developing countries tend to dissipate rapidly outside of
reforms of the sector.

bus rapid transit seems to be the only way to make bus operations
sufficiently profitable while bringing the system back into some sort of
formal regulation.

the new Jakarta Bus rapid transit system that opened on Jan. 15 is charging
only Rp.2500, which is less than the Rp.3300 for an air conditioned bus
ride.  Its almost breaking even at this price.  Quito, Bogota, and most
other cities have set their prices at Parity.  No reason bangkok could not
do the same.

Some preliminary BRT plans for Bangkok have been done by Dario Hidalgo,
formerly the deputy director of TransMilenio, under contract for GTZ.  Still
not much progress on this. Skytrain even at these high prices is not at
operating cost recovery, as i understand.





----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jonathan E. D. Richmond" <richmond at alum.mit.edu>
To: "Asia and the Pacific sustainable transport"
<sustran-discuss at list.jca.apc.org>
Cc: "Walter Hook" <whook at itdp.org>
Sent: Thursday, April 22, 2004 10:32 AM
Subject: Re: [sustran] Re: (fwd) [UTSG] transport strategy transfer


>
> That is an interesting question, but before we get too hung up on Bus
> Rapid Transit, it is worth mentioning that the crying need in so many
> cities is for decent service for the urban poor, who depend on local
> buses and who are too often neglected.
>
> Here in Bangkok the 4 baht nonaircon buses, with dusty wooden floors and
> filled with traffic fumes which come through their glassless windows,
> remain packed out -- and not only with local low income people. I
> discovered that some of our AIT students cannot afford to transfer to the
> (30-40 baht) Skytrain, but sit out journeys by bus across town that take
> an hour or more longer to save a few baht.
>
> What risks happening is that busway transit will come to town and, as with
> the new rail services, with it fares will go up. I know busway fares have
> been controlled to decent levels in South American countries, but in
> places like Bangkok there is a tradition of charging more for "premium"
> services, and I can easily see major increases happening.
>
> Of course, what may happen is that the nonaircon buses will continue
> operations on parallel routes, going as slowly and uncomfortably as ever,
> simply accentuating the differences between services made available
> according to income.
>
> It seems to me that there is a strong case for improving existing ordinary
> services before investing in bus rapid transit, yet I do not hear advocacy
> for this from the busway gurus any more than from the rail people. Perhaps
> we need to abandon planning based on specific modes and start instead by
> looking at the needs of people as clients and as human beings we are to
> serve.
>
>
>                                                          --Jonathan
>  -----
>
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