M II A II R II K
Mar 24, 2012, 4:26 PM
Why Are People Rioting Over Bogotá's Public Transit System?
Mar 20, 2012
By Eric Jaffe
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Read More: http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2012/03/why-are-people-rioting-over-bogotas-public-transit-system/1537/
Earlier this month, protests over service on Bogota's bus-rapid transit system, the TransMilenio, quickly escalated into riots in Colombia's capital city. The event required some 1,200 law officials to contain and led to dozens of arrests, a handful of injuries, and the destruction of five bus stations, according to news reports. The protests reportedly began as demonstrations against the TransMilenio's crowded buses and high fares, and the city's general lack of public transportation options. The immediate response to the news was surprise that one of the world's most celebrated transit systems could spark such widespread anger.
- The fact is, despite this successful record, social dissatisfaction with TransMilenio is nothing new. Public approval of the system began to drop in 2004, with people complaining about crowding and fares. In March of that year passengers protested poor service that resulted largely from ongoing repairs to three of the busways. In April 2008 passengers again went on strike over the system's service, this time citing overcrowded buses, low frequencies, and a lack of alternatives. Traffic models from this time suggested that without steps to increase the city's public transportation coverage, congestion would reach a standstill by - you guessed it - 2012.
- At rush hour, stations are so packed that people can't get off the bus, let alone on it. The crowding encourages some travelers to return to their cars, which only increases congestion in the city. Meanwhile the fare, at $1, is considered high for a city whose low-income users earn daily salaries only three times that, on average. The problem is a complicated one, writes Hutchinson, but it boils down to several core sources. The first is the city's decades-long, unrequited obsession with building a metro system that would cost much more than bus-rapid transit and cover far less of the city. Another is a lack of government subsidies that hampers the system's ability to expand and address its problems. Last, but certainly not least, the expansions that are being made by the system aren't being made quickly enough.
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http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/09/10627321-police-and-protesters-clash-over-public-transportation-in-bogota
http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/pb-120309-bogota-riot-02.photoblog900.jpg
http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/pb-120309-bogota-riot-03.photoblog900.jpg
http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/pb-120309-bogota-riot-01.photoblog900.jpg
Mar 20, 2012
By Eric Jaffe
http://cdn.theatlanticcities.com/img/site/logo.gif
Read More: http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2012/03/why-are-people-rioting-over-bogotas-public-transit-system/1537/
Earlier this month, protests over service on Bogota's bus-rapid transit system, the TransMilenio, quickly escalated into riots in Colombia's capital city. The event required some 1,200 law officials to contain and led to dozens of arrests, a handful of injuries, and the destruction of five bus stations, according to news reports. The protests reportedly began as demonstrations against the TransMilenio's crowded buses and high fares, and the city's general lack of public transportation options. The immediate response to the news was surprise that one of the world's most celebrated transit systems could spark such widespread anger.
- The fact is, despite this successful record, social dissatisfaction with TransMilenio is nothing new. Public approval of the system began to drop in 2004, with people complaining about crowding and fares. In March of that year passengers protested poor service that resulted largely from ongoing repairs to three of the busways. In April 2008 passengers again went on strike over the system's service, this time citing overcrowded buses, low frequencies, and a lack of alternatives. Traffic models from this time suggested that without steps to increase the city's public transportation coverage, congestion would reach a standstill by - you guessed it - 2012.
- At rush hour, stations are so packed that people can't get off the bus, let alone on it. The crowding encourages some travelers to return to their cars, which only increases congestion in the city. Meanwhile the fare, at $1, is considered high for a city whose low-income users earn daily salaries only three times that, on average. The problem is a complicated one, writes Hutchinson, but it boils down to several core sources. The first is the city's decades-long, unrequited obsession with building a metro system that would cost much more than bus-rapid transit and cover far less of the city. Another is a lack of government subsidies that hampers the system's ability to expand and address its problems. Last, but certainly not least, the expansions that are being made by the system aren't being made quickly enough.
.....
http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/09/10627321-police-and-protesters-clash-over-public-transportation-in-bogota
http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/pb-120309-bogota-riot-02.photoblog900.jpg
http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/pb-120309-bogota-riot-03.photoblog900.jpg
http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/pb-120309-bogota-riot-01.photoblog900.jpg