Implementation of Transantiago
Implementation of Public Transport in Santiago, Chile:
The Plan was requires the implementation of a number of different policies:
Re-design of bus routes and of the way in which they operate:
This strategic change will correct the overlap of bus routes, which is one of the main characteristics of the present system. This means re-drawing the entire network of services, dividing them into two types:
- Those which operate on the city’s main axis roads
- Those which serve local pockets of demand, taking passengers to the Metro or connecting with bus services on axis roads. All these services will operate in a complementary way, using an integrated fare system.
Automatic and centralized fare collection:
If the city’s public transport services are to complement each other, operating as a network and using an integrated fare, it is vital to implement an automatic payment system that centralizes fare collection and distributes the resulting revenue in accordance with the services that the different operators have provided. As its universally-accepted means of payment, the system will use a smart card, known as “Multivía”, that is already operating in the Metro and on some buses that link Metro stations to residential areas.
A “modern” industry structure:
A restructuring of the way transport operators are organized is required in order to overcome one of the present system’s sources of inefficiencies. For the new services, firms will be required to have a certain minimum size, eliminating the present proliferation of very small operators. This will help to end the present competition for passengers, and routes, that is detrimental to road safety. Bidders will be required to fulfill the technical and financial conditions stipulated in the different tenders. The Plan also makes provision for technical assistance programs to facilitate the adaptation and re-conversion of existing operators.
The incorporation of new management practices:
The operation of an integrated public transport network will make it possible to offer bus services that are more closely tailored to demand levels, both within the day and, as demand evolves, over time. This will open the way to a significant downsizing of the city’s fleet of public buses, as well as reducing over-investment and diminishing the total distance covered by each bus. This will mean lower operating costs for the system as a whole, as well as for each operator individually.
These changes will require the coordination of the entire bus fleet, using an Intelligent Transport System (ITS). For this reason, the Plan includes an Information and Control Center (Transantiago CIG), which will make it possible to operate the fleet in line with daily variations in demand, and to monitor the fulfillment of the terms of concession contracts.
The construction of specialized infrastructure:
The new service standards, set for the bus system, require specialized infrastructure. This will include segregated bus lanes on some axis roads, modern bus stops in line with levels of demand, transfer terminals at which passengers can change from one form of public transport to another (Metro, buses, inter-city transport, and taxis), transfer stations at which different bus routes and the Metro converge, and centers in different districts of the city to regulate the frequency of services.
Training for bus drivers:
Bus drivers are key for the operation of a system of public transport and, for this reason, the Transantiago Plan will seek to improve driver standards, increasing license requirements and opportunities for in-service training.
This will mean a substantial improvement in working conditions. In addition, the Plan will promote a change in the wage system, fostering a shift away from the present system based on ticket sales to one in which drivers have a fixed-wage contract and full social security benefits. Drivers will also have access to improved facilities at terminals, and the incorporation of women drivers will be encouraged.
Public relations and citizen participation:
In order for the different elements of the Transantiago Plan to function harmoniously, a change in attitudes towards public transport, among both users and non-users, will be vital
This will require an exercise in public relations, participation and citizen dialogue. To achieve this, a communications strategy will be designed, including publicity campaigns and training schemes, to inform the city’s inhabitants about use of the new system of public transport. The impact of this cultural change should also be apparent in other economic activities in the city. Transport considerations should, for example, be an integral part of all real estate and business projects. The role of the city’s municipal governments is also very important, and systematic progress will be required towards joint planning and the concerted use of the powers that both the central government and municipal authorities have over decisions that affect the transport sector, as well as towards increasing the coordination and impact of the public sector’s role in the system.
A reduction in the transport system’s environmental impact. The new public transport system will mean a significant reduction in Santiago’s air and noise pollution levels. The number of buses and the distances they travel will drop, and new technologies will be introduced, incorporating stricter standards on the emission of pollutants, while vehicles with cleaner technologies and cleaner fuels will be used. The elimination of the practice of racing for passengers will also mean safer driving standards and, therefore, fewer accidents.
The People and Users of TranSantiago, still waiting the Implementation!
Transantiago Chile, Documentos Relativos a esta Información:
Transantiago Chile · Publicación: English Information
