Abstract

ARDILA GOMEZ, Arturo. The pressure cooker of public transport in Bogotá. rev.ing. [online]. 2005, n.21, pp.56-67. ISSN 0121-4993.

The city of Bogotá has a persistent bus-oversupply problem. I explain the persistence of the oversupply with a four-part model. First, a bus fare inflated above the true cost of providing the service. The inflated fare allows the persistence of the excessive number of buses despite low ridership per bus. Second, a weak government agency in charge of the public transportation sector. This weakness generates power imbalances in favor of the private bus companies and prevents the effective implementation of measures that seek to curb oversupply. Third, an institutional arrangement for the provision of public transportation full of perverse incentives. These incentives motivate several actors to increase or maintain the oversupply. Finally, the public transportation system (non-TransMilenio) attracts people because the economy does not offer better investment and employment opportunities. One possible solution lies in strengthening the city government, establishing a centralized fare-collection system, and changing the way bus owners pay for renting bus companies´ routes.

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