Modernizing Public Transportation

The report analyzes bus system improvements across 13 cities in Latin America and Asia, highlighting the benefits of bus rapid transit (BRT) such as high usage levels and low capital investment. It identifies recurring failures in planning and implementation, including rushed launches and lack of integration with other transport modes. The document concludes with strategic recommendations for the planning and decision-making phases of urban transport reform.

• Bus rapid transit (BRT) corridors in the 13 reviewed cities demonstrated high efficiency, characterized by high passenger volumes and relatively low capital costs, often requiring little to no operational subsidies. Usage levels ranged from 1,780 to 43,000 passengers per hour per direction, with capital investments between US$1.4 million and 12.5 million per kilometer.
• The review identified several systemic challenges across the projects, including rushed initial implementations that led to user and operational problems, a lack of full integration between BRT routes and other city public transport, and difficulties in managing regular city traffic.
• The report notes that while some systems like those in Bogotá and Curitiba are celebrated successes, there is a significant lack of literature regarding the shortcomings of such systems, which creates a gap in constructive advice for other emerging nations.
• To improve future bus reforms, the report recommends a comprehensive planning process that integrates financial, legal, institutional, and environmental concerns, the use of dedicated full-time planning teams, and the securing of high-level political approval to resolve interagency conflicts.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Modernizing Public Transportation. https://www.wri.org/research/modernizing-public-transportation

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Modernizing Public Transportation. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/modernizing-public-transportation.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Modernizing Public Transportation |url=https://www.wri.org/research/modernizing-public-transportation |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendmodernizing, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Modernizing Public Transportation}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/modernizing-public-transportation}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }