Public transport in Latin America: Is a paradigm shift possible?

These are not easy times for public transport in southern Latin America: Ensuring proper operation of a system that meets users’ needs in our cities has become a daunting task.

The backdrop could not be more complex: Demand for public transport has been falling, informal competition is gaining ground, operating costs are rising, infrastructure lag continues to prevent closing the historic gap, fare evasion, congestion and a number of structural problems are putting operators, regulators and users under tremendous pressure.

We must not forget that only a couple of decades ago public transport and mobility were re-engineered in the region. Such long-term neglect takes its toll, as reflected in CAF Urban Mobility Observatory data, which in many cases show a reduction of public transport passengers.

But apart from demand problems, public transport faces sustainability challenges, and must improve aspects such as institutional strengthening, operational financing, modal integration, social inclusion, universal accessibility, regulation, control, technological innovation, road safety and emission reduction, among others.

These tasks must focus on the user and quality of service. Fortunately, we are transcending the discussion on “monomodal” solutions and focusing on how to improve user accessibility in an efficient, affordable, dignified, safe and sustainable manner. This implies a multidimensional response that can adapt to the particularities of each city and as part of a joint effort with territory planning.

From the operators’ perspective, things aren’t easy either. Since the implementation of the first BRTs, the possibility of achieving financial self-sustainability in operation is deeply rooted in the region’s institutions. Thus, this scheme was replicated in many of subsequent and conventional bus systems.

The need for budgets that would allow for the development of infrastructure without resorting to public funds for operation has caused significant imbalances in the financial equation of the different stakeholders, thus deteriorating the quality of service. This and the need for subsidies for public transport are better understood today. However, from the public perspective, in a context of limited resources, it is not easy to find a fair and balanced solution.

In addition, based on the urgent need to decarbonize the transport sector, the need to replace the existing fleet with low-emission vehicles is becoming a requirement in regulation and environmental public policy. From a technological standpoint, this is already feasible, but economically, it is still difficult to implement for many cities in the region, whose demand conditions have deteriorated. In addition, investment and operating costs aggravate their poor financial balance.

As an alternative response to this reality, technological development emerges in the region, which could help solve many of the challenges if properly inserted into a framework of territorial and social integration. The Aeromovel system technology was developed in Brazil more than 30 years ago and consists of a vehicle on rails driven by an airflow produced by electric motors, blowing into an inverted sail in a tunnel at the base and that is part of the road support infrastructure.

Its motivation was the need of the Municipality of Canoas for a new transport system with the following features: exclusive lanes, low infrastructure costs, capacity of 15,000 passengers per hour per route, without expropriations and whose operation costs could be covered by the fare.

The technology has already been implemented commercially at the Porto Alegre airport, and inspired Canoas to a larger-scale implementation, actively participating in the structuring of the system and promoting a regional production chain to implement a mass transport project.

CAF has supported the project from an early stage and approved funds from the “Canoas for All” financing program to develop the final infrastructure designs with the following characteristics:

• 100% energy-efficient electric system
• Light vehicles with no engine on board
• Automated and safe
• Non-invasive urban insertion
• Flexible: handles slopes and tight curves
• No noise or vibration
• Capacity: 24,000 passengers/hour/route
• Low operating costs
• Quick-deploy modular construction
• Easy integration with other systems

Low operating costs allow for operating fees much lower than user fares, and thus, return on infrastructure investment is possible over a period of 18 to 20 years, which is unprecedented in such a mode with this capacity. In the case of Canoas, a proposal included the first 4.7-km phase with municipal debt funds, tendering the construction of the next phase, thus completing 19 km with the operation of the integrated system (electric municipal buses) for a 30-year period. This project is in the federal government’s interest and is a potential candidate for green climate funds.

The first steps have been taken. This is a robust proposal and other cities in the region are interested in implementing more projects based on this technology. We will have to wait for a market response and the Canoas development, in order to make this interesting alternative a reality that helps tackle the difficult challenges facing public transport in our region.