South American Scanning TourSouth American Scanning Tour

Bill VincentBill Vincent

Breakthrough Technologies InstituteBreakthrough Technologies Institute

StandardizationStandardization

US BRT’s are unique US BRT’s are unique to each cityto each city

No common definition No common definition of BRTof BRT

StandardizationStandardization LAC systems starting to show a high degree of standardizationLAC systems starting to show a high degree of standardization

– Station designStation design– Fare collectionFare collection– Control systemsControl systems– Route structureRoute structure

Suggests an opportunity to develop a “turn key” approachSuggests an opportunity to develop a “turn key” approach– Save implementation time and moneySave implementation time and money– Encourage with federal incentivesEncourage with federal incentives

BRT NetworksBRT Networks

LAC cities tend to think LAC cities tend to think in terms of BRT in terms of BRT networksnetworks– Possible in part because Possible in part because

of BRT cost-of BRT cost-effectivenesseffectiveness

US planning is at US planning is at corridor levelcorridor level– Miss substantial Miss substantial

opportunities to attract opportunities to attract new transit ridersnew transit riders

““Dare to be Simple”Dare to be Simple”

The technology is The technology is not complex but not complex but works very wellworks very well– E.g., precision E.g., precision

docking is docking is accomplished by the accomplished by the driver driver

CapacityCapacity BRT has more than enough capacity to meet BRT has more than enough capacity to meet

demand in virtually any US corridordemand in virtually any US corridor– Alternatives analysis should not reject BRT for Alternatives analysis should not reject BRT for

lack of capacity (or cost)lack of capacity (or cost)

SystemSystem Peak Hour Peak Hour RidershipRidership

TransmilenioTransmilenio >40,000>40,000

MetroviaMetrovia >7,000 (Phase 1)>7,000 (Phase 1)

12,000 (Future)12,000 (Future)

Mexico City Mexico City >8,000>8,000

PereiraPereira >3,000>3,000

9,000 (est. Max 9,000 (est. Max capacity)capacity)

Ability to Serve City Centers With Ability to Serve City Centers With Surface TransitSurface Transit

Infrastructure is ImportantInfrastructure is Important

Many Advantages to Exclusive lanes Many Advantages to Exclusive lanes in the Medianin the Median

Vs.

New Opportunities for Innovative New Opportunities for Innovative Finance?Finance?

LAC BRT’s are almost LAC BRT’s are almost always PPP’salways PPP’s– Public infrastructurePublic infrastructure– Private operatorsPrivate operators

Also have PPP’s within this Also have PPP’s within this structurestructure– Fare collection and controlFare collection and control

Private company provides fiber Private company provides fiber network, fare collection system, network, fare collection system, and control systemand control system

– Takes percentage of fare Takes percentage of fare revenuesrevenues

– May be able to sell excess fiber May be able to sell excess fiber capacity in the futurecapacity in the future

Promotion of Non-motorized access Promotion of Non-motorized access MixedMixed