[sustran] Re: Transantiago - Is this a project of which we all need toknow more? YES!

[Prof J G Krishnayya]

Thank you Eric for bringing this to our attention.
 
Exceedingly good review article. Fair and Open.  This is what happens
even when there is a long, careful and good design – and when reliable
organisations like TCS are in charge of some of the projected work!
 
I think it is VERY IMPORTANT that we learn from this that anything that
can go wrong, WILL, and that trying to implement a complete solution
all-at-once simply will not work the way it is envisaged.  
 
It seems to me the original plan WAS feasible.  They DID buy the busses
(the easiest step); The 80-seater Volvo busses seem to be the same ones
ordered for Pune BRT. We were too afraid to order the articulated ones. 
 
A better implementation would have been to delay things for several
months (during which regional trials were done; the charge-cards were
tested, etc.) The Charge cards vs cash introduce real problems in re.
collection of fares, absence of conductors, etc.  I wonder if it would
ever be feasible to switch-over from a simple manual system with
conductors and cash fares to a pre-paid charge-card system.  Certainly
not in India.  I feel they ought to have implemented the system from
outside inward. I.e. first in the “local” municipalities and then linked
up to the “Main system” which might have been run independently for the
first few months.  Interchangeable fares from Metro and Bus seem a good
idea and entirely workable. 
 
This is a case study which would repay a lot of study. Maybe we in Pune
(India) could contact TCS and use their presence in Santiago to write a
Case Study.  They too should be interested since their experience with
the GPS system (not operational after all) would set them up for many
other projects.
 
J G Krishnayya
====================
 
Prof J G Krishnayya
Director, Systems Research Institute,
17-A Gultekdi, PUNE 411037, India
www.sripune.org                 Tel +91-20-2426-0323
jkrishnayya at yahoo.com       Res 020-2636-3930
sri at giaspn01.vsnl.net.in       Fax +91-20-2444-7902
 
-----Original Message-----
From: sustran-discuss-bounces+sri=pn1.vsnl.net.in at list.jca.apc.org
[mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+sri=pn1.vsnl.net.in at list.jca.apc.org] On
Behalf Of Eric Britton
Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 9:05 PM
To: WTP&P List; NewMobilityCafe at yahoogroups. com; Sustran Resource
Centre
Cc: Peter Ekenger; Carlos Felipe Pardo; Lloyd Wright
Subject: [sustran] Transantiago - Is this a project of which we all need
to know more?
 
I have been getting a number of requests from people and groups asking
if I can help them get a handle on the Transantiago project, and
recently someone – might it have been you Lloyd? – said that it would be
a good idea if we created some kind of repository of information or
references which might help in an informed and neutral way.
 
One idea that comes to mind would be to invite all of those of you who
have good knowledge on what is going on to jump in and help make the
entries in both the English and Spanish versions of Wikipedia more
authoritative, accurate and complete.  The Spanish profile is at
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transantiago and looks to me to be a fine
beginning, and this despite the fact that one of the “editors” has
challenged it authenticity and neutrality (NPOV). I copy below the
shorter English version from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transantiago
to give you a whiff of what they think it’s all about. 
 
At the very least it strikes me as a cautionary tale, and certainly one
that is worthy of the attention of those of us who may harbor ambitious
ideas about how to bring on the New Mobility Agenda.  And I am sure that
some of our friends in the sutp-lac group will have some interesting
observations and references to add to this.
 
Eric Britton
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Transantiago


>From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transantiago#column-one> , search
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transantiago#searchInput> 
 

 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Current_event_marker.svg> 
This article documents a current event
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Current_events> .
Information may change rapidly as the event progresses.
 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Transantiago_bus_articulado.jpg> An
articulated bus of the new Transantiago system
 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Transantiago_bus_articulado.jpg> 
An articulated <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articulated_bus>  bus of
the new Transantiago system
Transantiago is the public
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_transport>  transport system that
serves Santiago <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santiago%2C_Chile> ,
capital city of Chile <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chile> . It was
introduced on 10 February <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_10>
2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007> , replacing the previous
chaotic system run by thousands of independent bus operators. The system
works by combining local bus lines, main bus lines and the Metro
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santiago_Metro>  (subway) network. It
includes an integrated fare system, which allows passengers to make
bus-to-bus or bus-to-metro transfers for the price of one ticket, using
a single contactless <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contactless>
smartcard <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartcard> .
Transantiago's implementation has been problematic. Some of the bus
companies have not put out the required fleet in operation, making the
bus headway irregular and generating large crowds and long queues
outside Metro stations and bus stops. The fleet management software
(which includes the use of GPS <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPS> ) has
not been implemented. Segregated bus corridors have also not been
constructed and "paid zones" have been improvised. The lack of trust by
users in the bus system has overcrowded the Metro. There is also
criticism of a lack of line coverage in the citiy's peripheral areas,
which were well covered under the previous system.


Contents

[hide <javascript:toggleToc()> ]
*	 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transantiago#Details> 1 Details 
*	 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transantiago#Objectives> 1.1
Objectives
*	 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transantiago#New_lines_structure>
1.2 New lines structure
*	 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transantiago#New_fare_structure>
1.3 New fare structure
*
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transantiago#Payment_system_and_finance_ad
ministration> 1.4 Payment system and finance administration
*
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transantiago#Users.27_information> 1.5
Users' information
*	 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transantiago#Vehicles> 2 Vehicles

*
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transantiago#Technical_characteristics_of_
the_vehicles> 2.1 Technical characteristics of the vehicles
*
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transantiago#Problems_and_criticism> 3
Problems and criticism
*	 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transantiago#References> 4
References
*	 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transantiago#External_links> 5
External links

[edit
<http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Transantiago&action=edit&sect
ion=1> ] 1 Details

Transantiago's first stage of implementation began on 22 October
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_22>  2005
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005> , when a group of ten new companies
took control of the capital's bus <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bus>
system, immediately introducing 1,181 new modern low-floor
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low-floor>  buses (approximately half of
them being articulated <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articulated_bus> )
made by Volvo <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo>  in Brazil
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/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. In October
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_2006>  2006 a users' information
system was introduced.
Transantiago became fully operational on 10 February
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_10>  2007
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007>  by the introduction of a new route
system dividing bus lines into two complementary groups: main and local
lines. In addition, a new fare structure was implemented, allowing
transfers at small or zero fares between buses and metro, when using the
new contactless <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contactless>  smartcard
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartcard> . 1,776 new buses will operate
at this stage. The older yellow-colored (now painted over) buses will
only operate through the secondary local lines in conjunction with new
but simpler buses. It is expected that by 2010
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010> , the older buses will be completely
replaced by over 4,600 new vehicles.

[edit
<http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Transantiago&action=edit&sect
ion=2> ] 1.1 Objectives

*         Encouraging the use of public
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_transport>  transport.
*         Enhancing the quality of public transport, eliminating the
on-the-street competition and replacing the existing bus fleet.
*         Palliating the city's high air
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_pollution>  pollution and sound
pollution <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_pollution>  levels by
reducing the number of buses from over 7,000 to about 4,600, and by
reducing the emission levels of the buses.
*         Reducing travel times.

[edit
<http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Transantiago&action=edit&sect
ion=3> ] 1.2 New lines structure

Bus services were divided into two subsystems. The first subsystem
corresponds to the main
<http://www.transantiago.cl/web2005/imagenes/troncales.jpg>  bus lines,
which complementing the metro
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santiago_Metro>  network allow long trips
between different zones of the city. The second subsystem corresponds to
the local (or feeder) bus lines, which allow short trips and feed the
metro and main bus lines. Local services are organized in ten
<http://www.transantiago.cl/web2005/imagenes/locales.jpg>  units, each
of one corresponding to one or more municipalities
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Municipality>  of Santiago.


A
Santiago <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santiago_Centro>  Centro

B
Conchalí <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conchal%C3%AD> , Huechuraba
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huechuraba> , Independencia
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independencia%2C_Chile> , Quilicura
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quilicura> , Recoleta
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recoleta_%28municipality%29> , Renca
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renca> 

C
Las <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Condes>  Condes, Lo Barnechea
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lo_Barnechea> , Providencia
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Providencia_%28municipality_in_Chile%29> ,
Vitacura <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitacura> 

D
La Reina <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Reina> , Macul
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macul> , Ñuñoa
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%91u%C3%B1oa> , Peñalolén
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pe%C3%B1alol%C3%A9n> 

E
La <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Florida>  Florida, La Granja
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Granja_%28municipality%29> 

F
Puente <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puente_Alto>  Alto

G
El Bosque
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Bosque_%28municipality%2C_Chile%29> ,
La <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Cisterna>  Cisterna, La Pintana
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Pintana> , San Bernardo
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Bernardo%2C_Chile> , San Ramón
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Ram%C3%B3n_%28municipality%29> 

H
Lo Espejo <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lo_Espejo> , Pedro Aguirre Cerda
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Aguirre_Cerda_%28municipality%29> ,
San <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Joaqu%C3%ADn>  Joaquín, San Miguel
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Miguel_%28municipality%29> 

I
Cerrillos <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerrillos_%28municipality%29> ,
Estación Central <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estaci%C3%B3n_Central> ,
Maipú <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maip%C3%BA_%28municipality%29> 

J
Cerro <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerro_Navia>  Navia, Lo
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lo_Prado>  Prado, Pudahuel
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pudahuel> , Quinta
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinta_Normal>  Normal
 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Transantiago.svg> Map of the zones
of Transantiago

The details of both the main bus lines and the local bus lines can be
seen in the official maps
<http://www.transantiagoinforma.cl/listaRecorridos.do>  and route
descriptions.

[edit
<http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Transantiago&action=edit&sect
ion=4> ] 1.3 New fare structure

An integrated fares scheme was introduced for buses and metro, allowing
to transfer for free or paying a small transfer charge. During the first
six months of operation, up to three transfers are completely free. The
definitive fare scheme considers two basic fares (local and main fares),
in addition to the transfer fares.
The local fare will allow local trips inside a local area, also allowing
free transfers between local services in that area. The main fare will
be a little higher and will allow trips both in the main bus lines and
metro, including free transfers between them. Finally, a transfer fare
will have to be paid when transferring between a main bus service (or
metro) and a local service. This transfer fare will be much smaller than
the basic fares. As was before, students will be allowed to pay reduced
fares, at 35% of the normal ones.
Fares will be adjusted periodically, according to the changes in the
main input prices (fuel, etc.) of the operators. The way in which the
fare adjustments is calculated has been established in the operation
contracts. Therefore, neither operators nor the authorities are able to
change the fares at will.

[edit
<http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Transantiago&action=edit&sect
ion=5> ] 1.4 Payment system and finance administration

The main payment system of Transantiago is a contactless
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contactless>  smartcard
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartcard>  called tarjeta Bip! similar to
the Multivia <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multivia>  card, which was
previously operated by the metro. This card is used both in buses and
metro as a prepaid card. The access to the reduced or free transfer
fares is only possible when using this card, as the electronic system
associated to the card automatically recognizes if the user is starting
his trip or just making a transfer. In this way, the system can decide
if the basic fare has to be charged or if a transfer or free fare
applies. Passengers who do not have the card may pay in cash (only in
feeder buses), but a higher fare without possibility of reduced
transfers.
The operation of the payment system was tendered to a private company.
Its main tasks are the distribution and charging of the card, the
administration of the revenues and the payment to the operators,
according to the rules established in the contracts.

[edit
<http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Transantiago&action=edit&sect
ion=6> ] 1.5 Users' information

Another component of the system is the information manager and users'
information provider, which was tendered and awarded to the private
company Tata Consultancy Services <http://www.comicrom.cl/english/>
Chile in 2006. Its main tasks are: provide information for the users
both before and after the implementation of the system, provide
information about the localization of the buses to the operators and
coordinate emergencies with the relevant bodies.

[edit
<http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Transantiago&action=edit&sect
ion=7> ] 2 Vehicles

Until 2010 there will be both new Transantiago-standard
<http://www.transantiago.cl/web2005/imagenes/busesgra.jpg>  and old
buses in operation. In comparison to the old buses of Santiago, at least
half the new ones have a low floor, and all have a blocking system that
does not allow the movement of the bus before all doors are closed.
Since 2003, all new buses in Santiago fulfill the emission norm Euro III
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euro_III> .
After the implementation of the new lines structure, the main bus lines
will be operated with articulated (18 meters long) and normal buses,
while the local services will be operated with normal buses and
minibuses.

[edit
<http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Transantiago&action=edit&sect
ion=8> ] 2.1 Technical characteristics of the vehicles

Most of the low-floor buses for Transantiago were built by Volvo
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo> . Several operating companies of
Transantiago bought 1,157 articulated buses B9SALF
<http://www.volvo.com/bus/brazil/en-br/products/city+buses/Volvo_B9_SALF
_art/>  and 510 normal (12 meters long) buses B7RLE
<http://www.volvo.com/bus/brazil/en-br/products/city+buses/Volvo+B7R+Low
+Entry/> .
The articulated B9SALF Volvo bus has a capacity of approximately 160
passengers, four double doors, 100% low floor, a length of 18.5 meters
and a width of 2.5 meters. The engine is on the left side between the
first and second axles (i.e. behind the driver) and 340hp hp
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse_power> . (More technical information
can be found in the technical specifications of the Volvo B9SALF
<http://www.volvo.com/bus/brazil/en-br/products/city+buses/Volvo_B9_SALF
_art/specifications.htm> .)
The Volvo B7RLE bus, with a capacity of approximately 80 passengers, has
three double doors and low floor between the first and second doors. It
has a length of 12 meters and a wide of 2.5 meters. The engine is in the
back of the vehicle and has 7,000 cm³. (Additional technical information
can be found in the technical specifications of the Volvo B7RLE
<http://www.volvo.com/bus/brazil/en-br/products/city+buses/Volvo+B7R+Low
+Entry/specifications.htm> .)

[edit
<http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Transantiago&action=edit&sect
ion=9> ] 3 Problems and criticism

There are several problems with the design and implementation of the
plan. Bus owners' contracts offer no incentive to improve service; they
receive a fixed payment no matter how many passengers they transport.
The centralized system for controlling frequency of buses is not working
(the GPS system is non-operational), which was a main point in the
original design. Passenger fare evasion is high (30% or more). Many
people consider the service to be poor and are not willing to pay for
it. Others are taking advantage of the situation. Routes were poorly
defined. For example, when the system launched, there weren't bus stops
by many hospitals.
Although polls have shown the citizens of Santiago were overwhelmingly
in favor of a new transport system[1]
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transantiago#_note-0> , its implementation
was heavily criticized for not meeting up to people's expectations. The
system's first days in operation were chaotic at many of the bus stops,
since there were not enough buses to cope with the demand. Additionally,
many complained that the old bus routes were easier and faster, a claim
confirmed to an extent in an investigation by El
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Mercurio>  Mercurio, which found that
most of the new routes took more time than the ones in the older system.
Politicians in both sides of the political spectrum —from Communist
Party <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist_Party_of_Chile>  Secretary
General Guillermo Tellier
<http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Guillermo_Tellier&action=edit
>  to right-wing UDI
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_Democratic_Union>  deputy Iván
Moreira
<http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Iv%C3%A1n_Moreira&action=edit
> — criticized the implementation of the new system, labeling it
"improvised" and "unprofessional."
Support for President Michelle
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelle_Bachelet>  Bachelet's government
in Santiago fell from 55.2% in February
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February>  to 42.7% in March
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March> , after the Transantiago began
operating, according to the monthly Adimark polls. Political analysts
attributed the fall solely to the Transantiago, saying that there is no
other possible cause for the dramatic fall in support [2]
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transantiago#_note-1> . A poll taken by
Benchmark agency, requested by the opposition, showed that 47% did not
approve of the implementation of Transantiago, 64% labeled the
implementation as "improvised", and 53% disapproved of the way President
Bachelet handled the situation. Many people have also blamed former
president Ricardo Lagos <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricardo_Lagos> ,
because it was his government that was responsible for the system's
design.
One consequence of Transantiago is that the Metro system, which was to
be a backbone of the system, has been overwhelmed with over six users
per square meter. The increase in usage was reported by La Tercera
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Tercera>  on 21 March
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_21>  2007
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007>  as having increased from 1,300,000
to 2,200,000 and Metro president Blas Tomic was quoted as saying: "The
capacity of metro has reached its limit" and recommended that the
elderly and users with medical conditions stay off the system.
The government has defended the plan as necessary for a better transport
system, adding it will improve as people become more used to it, adding
everything is being done to improve it.

[edit
<http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Transantiago&action=edit&sect
ion=10> ] 4 References

*         Gschwender, Antonio (2005)
<http://www.civil.ist.utl.pt/thredbo9/proceedings/proceedings/Tuesday/WS
A/2nd_Session/1094.pdf>  Improving the urban public transport in
developing countries: the design of a new integrated system in Santiago
de Chile. 9th Conference of Competition and Ownership in Land Transport
(Thredbo9), Lisbon, Portugal.
*         Minteguiaga,
<http://www.uitp-pti.com/img/cover6_2006/18-21-en.pdf>  Jorge (2006)
Transantiago: redesigning public transport in Santiago, Chile. Public
Transport International, 55, 6/2006, 16-19. ISSN-1016-796X.
1.      ^ <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transantiago#_ref-0>
http://www.atinachile.cl/content/view/4713
2.      ^ <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transantiago#_ref-1>
http://www.emol.com/noticias/nacional/detalle/detallenoticias.asp?idnoti
cia=248232

[edit
<http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Transantiago&action=edit&sect
ion=11> ] 5 External links

*         Official site of Transantiago <http://www.transantiago.cl>
(Spanish)
*         Transantiago Chile: <http://www.transantiagochile.com/>
Educational and Analytical Information (Spanish)
*         Full <http://www.transantiagoinforma.cl/pdf/Mapa_General.pdf>
Official map of Transantiago (Spanish)
*         Official site of the contactless <http://www.tarjetabip.cl>
smartcard tarjeta Bip! (Spanish)
*         Study from CEP Chile - Santiago Buses: From Public Enemy to
Public
<http://www.cepchile.cl/dms/archivo_3425_1704/r96_diazyotros_micros.pdf>
Service (Spanish)
 
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