Juan Pablo Bocarejo

Impact of Bus Rapid Transit Systems on Road Safety: Lessons from Bogotá, Colombia

TransMilenio, a high-capacity bus rapid transit (BRT) system, was gradually implemented in important corridors of Bogotá, Colombia, during the past decade. The main objective was to achieve major improvements in the provision of public transport, especially in capacity and speed. However, there have been significant effects on road safety. Data from two corridors, Caracas Avenue and Norte-Quito-Sur Avenue, were analyzed with geographic information system techniques. Before and after situations were compared to assess the impacts on road safety of the implementation of these BRT corridors. Although the results suggest that TransMilenio brought about important overall reductions in traffic accidents, specific areas have seen an increase. This increase occurred mainly around the busiest stations, but it was also observed on the roads, where speed went up significantly as a result of the elimination of traffic lights, the widening of space for private cars, and the general improvement of the road surface. Analysis of the Bogotá experience reveals this lesson: special consideration must be given to improving pedestrian facilities along high-speed corridors and around busy stations in the design of future BRT corridors.

Bus Operators' Responses to Job Strain: An Experimental Test of the Job Demand-Control Model.

The research aim was to test the Job Demand–Control (JDC) Model demands × Control interaction (or buffering) hypothesis in a simulated bus driving experiment. The buffering hypothesis was tested using a 2 (low and high demands) × 2 (low and high decision latitude) design with repeated measures on the second factor. A sample of 80 bus operators were randomly assigned to the low (n = 40) and high demands (n = 40) conditions. Demands were manipulated by increasing or reducing the number of stops to pick up passengers, and decision latitude by imposing or removing restrictions on the Rapid Transit Bus (BRT) operators’ pace of work. Outcome variables include physiological markers (heart rate [HR], heart rate variability [HRV], breathing rate [BR], electromyography [EMG], and skin conductance [SC]), objective driving performance and self-report measurements of psychological wellbeing (psychological distress, interest/enjoyment [I/E], perceived competence, effort/importance [E/I], and pressure/tension [P/T]). It was found that job decision latitude moderates the effect of job demands on both physiological arousal (BR: F(1, 74) = 4.680, p = .034, SC: F(1, 75) = 6.769, p = .011, and EMG: F(1, 75) = 6.550, p = .013) and psychological well-being (P/T: F(1, 75) = 4.289, p = .042 and I/E: F(1, 74) = 4.548, p = .036). Consistently with the JDC model buffering hypothesis, the experimental findings suggest that increasing job decision latitude can moderate the negative effect of job demands on different psychophysiological outcomes. This finding is useful for designing organizational and clinical interventions in an occupational group at high risk of work stress-related disease.

Accessibility analysis of the integrated transit system of Bogotá

ABSTRACT The new integrated transit system of Bogotá (ITSB) is a local initiative to improve general transportation conditions in the city. However, as an integral intervention to improve current transit services, it affects travel times and user costs, entailing changes in accessibility. We developed a methodology to calculate these changes for different areas in the city, considering travel expenditure for work trips and socioeconomic features of the population. The article evaluates accessibility implications for different fare schemes for the ITSB, modeling accessibility as a function of total travel expenditure and travel times. We focus on analyzing changes in cost and trip distribution for ITSB routes and their impacts on access to employment. Changes in travel attributes are obtained from a four-step transport model of Bogotá developed with VISUM modeling software. Meaningful changes in travel time and expenditure were found for all scenarios altering accessibility considerably. Under a flat fare scenario independent of travel distances, the number of transfers had a higher effect on accessibility in comparison to schemes where transfers are penalized through an incremental fare.

Fatigue and crashes: the case of freight transport in Colombia

Truck drivers have been involved in a significant number of road fatalities in Colombia. To identify variables that could be associated with crashes in which truck drivers are involved, a logistic regression model was constructed. The model had as the response variable a dichotomous variable that included the presence or absence of a crash during a specific trip. As independent variables the model included information regarding a drivers work shift, with variables that could be associated with drivers fatigue. The model also included potential confounders related with road conditions. With the model, it was possible to determine the odds ratio of a crash in relation to several variables, adjusting for confounding. To collect the information about the trips included in the model, a survey among truck drivers was conducted. The results suggest strong associations between crashes (i.e., some of them statistically significant) with the number of stops made during the trip, and the average time of each stop. Survey analysis allowed us to identify the practices that contribute to generating fatigue and unhealthy conditions on the road among professional drivers. A review of national regulations confirmed the lack of legislation on this topic.

Social fragmentation as a consequence of implementing a Bus Rapid Transit system in the city of BogotÃ

Urban growth, new economic activities, infrastructure and mobility projects change the way a city and their citizens interact. To assess changes based on the above factors, we use the concept of social fragmentation for two different periods. We propose a methodology that evaluates the degree of social fragmentation in different zones of Bogotá and the impact of the introduction of a Bus Rapid Transit system (BRT). The fragmentation analysis shows an increase in interactions for the three different income groups analysed in the 1995–2005 comparison. The spatial distribution of defragmented zones has also changed. Peripheral zones were isolated in 1995, close to ghettos or closed community concept, while in 2005 their interactions with the city saw an important improvement. The difference in difference analysis shows that feeder lines, serving specially those peripheral zones, have a positive impact on population as the fragmentation indicator decreases. However, no evidence was found regarding trunk line zones.

Challenges of Implementing à la Mode Transport Projects: Case Studies of Bus Rapid Transit and Cable Cars in Colombia

Politicians, consultants, and researchers often look at successful transport and urban transformation projects in cities in developing countries and assume that these may be an appropriate solution for similar cities. In reality, customizing such projects for a city-specific context is a difficult challenge that does not always end well, for example, because of poor technical and financial capacity of transport institutions, scarce information on travel demand behavior during the planning stage, private companies operating routes with a certain degree of informality, and poor political commitment. The authors reviewed the experience of implementing bus rapid transit systems in five cities in Colombia that followed the steps of the successful Transmilenio in Bogotá. Most projects had cost overruns and lower demand and therefore performed worse than expected in ex-post assessments. Competition from traditional and private transport and institutional capacity at the local level were key problems to be addressed. The authors also reviewed the experience of cable cars, the new à la mode project, which was promoted in a number of developing cities such as Cali and Soacha after the success of the Metrocable in Medellín. Cable cars could contribute to equity in cities, but these contributions would be extremely limited if the project did not inject the urban environment with complementary investments. Transferring successful transportation projects to new areas or to other cities is an important, difficult challenge. Key success factors must be considered to implement transport solutions successfully in different contexts.

La bicicleta: Vehículo hacia la equidad: Recomendaciones para la equidad, acceso e inclusión social en la promoción del uso de la bicicleta en América Latina y el Caribe

Las ciudades de America Latina han demostrado un notable interes por la promocion del uso de la bicicleta a traves de acciones como el desarrollo de sistemas de bicicletas publicas, inversion en infraestructura exclusiva, implementacion de ciclovias recreativas y campanas de promocion, entre otras. Para el aprovechamiento del rol potencial de la movilidad urbana como factor de inclusion e integracion, las acciones de promocion de la bicicleta requieren de consideraciones de equidad, entendida como la ausencia de desigualdades sistematicas en materia de movilidad; accesibilidad, definida como las condiciones para acceder y aprovechar oportunidades esenciales para una vida plena; e inclusion social, entendida como la participacion de todos los miembros de la sociedad en la vida economica, social y cultural de las ciudades. Esta publicacion se desarrolla con este proposito, e incorpora definiciones claras y precisas de los conceptos de acceso, inclusion y equidad, un diagnostico de los principales retos y oportunidades en el contexto latinoamericano para la ciclo-equidad y la inclusion social en el uso de la bicicleta, y la identificacion de acciones prioritarias en el corto, mediano y largo plazo a partir de experiencias internacionales, asi como indicadores especificos para su seguimiento en el tiempo.

Cómo promover el buen uso de la bicicleta: Exposición del ciclista en ámbito urbano: Diagnóstico y recomendaciones

En los centros urbanos de America Latina y el Caribe, la bicicleta es percibida como un vehiculo cuyo uso, ofrece una alternativa economica de movilidad, reduce la congestion vehicular y mitiga la emision de agentes contaminantes y gases efecto invernadero. Ademas tiene una fuerte connotacion deportiva. Sin embargo, si bien se reconocen diversos beneficios para la salud asociados a su uso frecuente, el ciclista urbano es un actor de la movilidad con una elevada exposicion, tanto a la contaminacion de los modos motorizados como a la seguridad vial. Este documento, presenta un caso relativo a la exposicion del ciclista urbano en Bogota y algunas recomendaciones orientadas a los tomadores de decision y gestores de proyectos de cicloinclusion a mejorar las condiciones de seguridad vial y proteger la salud cardiovascular y respiratoria de los ciclistas urbanos en ciudades de America Latina y el Caribe, con el fin de incrementar el buen uso de la bicicleta como vehiculo de transporte cotidiano.

Accident Prediction Models for Bus Rapid Transit Systems: Generalized Linear Models Compared with a Neural Network

This research sought to model traffic accidents in the bus rapid transit (BRT) system in Bogotá, Colombia. For each BRT station, 35 variables related to system flows, infrastructure, service, surroundings, and socio-economic context were tested. After a selection process, a set of 11 explanatory variables was obtained and used in the development of generalized linear models (Poisson and negative binomial models) and a neural network model. The results showed that the neural network model had better predictability indicators than did those obtained by the Poisson and negative binomial models. Additionally, the negative binomial regression model did not produce better predictions than did the Poisson regression model. Finally, a scenario analysis was developed from the most relevant variables: bus flow, number of accesses, and proximity to at-grade vehicular intersections.

Editorial del Dossier: Movilidad sostenible: una construcción multidisciplinaria

La movilidad urbana, los beneficios e impactos de la infraestructura de transporte, asi como las relaciones con el territorio y la economia son temas en permanente evolucion. Constituyen una rica fuente de investigacion, de innovacion, de revision de teorias y de necesaria actualizacion. El tema de la movilidad se estudia desde diferentes disciplinas y perspectivas. Los aspectos economicos, la ingenieria y la tecnologia, los aspectos sociales y politicos, la gestion del territorio y de los sistemas de transporte son componentes necesarios en el estudio de la movilidad. Sin embargo, la dificultad de desarrollar una vision multidisciplinaria es considerable.