The buzz surrounding Bus Rapid transit [BRT] systems that emerged in the early 2000s has not died down. Cities around the world are continuing to invest in rapid transit projects as an affordable and reliable way of connecting people to job opportunities and leisure activities. As of October 1st, 2013, the transit experts at EMBARQ have reported a total of over 300 bus corridors around the world, spreading to 163 cities across 38 countries.
I’ve discussed BRT systems around the world before, focusing on Curitiba, Brazil and South America’s leading role in rapid transit development. Now, cities in places from Indonesia to South Africa have bus corridors in operation that are positively impacting their growing urban landscapes. Check out some fast-facts on diverse cities who have embraced BRT and view images on our Pinterest board:
Johannesburg, South Africa [Rea Vaya]
- Hit the road August 30, 2009
- Rea Vaya means “we are going”
- 48 stations and 10 median key stations are currently operational on 59 km of trunk routes
- Commuters stand to save an estimated 73 million hours by shifting to BRT between 2007-2026. The travel time saved is equivalent to over 9 million 8-hour workdays [Embarq].
Brisbane, Australia [Brisbane Busways]
- Hit the road September 13, 2000
- A 25 km network of busways, including the South East, Northern and Eastern Busways
Jakarta, India [TransJakarta]
- Hit the road January 25, 2004
- First BRT system in Southern and Southeast Asia
- 12 corridors in operation with over 200 stations along the closed trunk system
- Carries more than 350,000 passengers daily
Mexico City, Mexico [Metrobús]
- Hit the road June 19, 2005
- Transports over 850,000 passengers daily
- 2,000 days of lost work due to illness were prevented by reducing local air pollution and emission on the Metrobús Line 3 [Embarq]
Istanbul, Turkey [Metrobüs]
- Hit the road September 17, 2007
- Approximately 50 km in length and has 45 stations
- Used by a number of Metrobüs lines
- Carries around 800,000 people daily
- In Istanbul, the average passenger on Metrobüs saved 28 workdays per year in reduced travel times [Embarq]