BRT Essay

2168 Words5 Pages

In this section, we will consider the institutional aspects of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) System. We first look at the different kinds of institutional issues associated with BRT before turning to the “cradle of BRT” Curitiba. We will then examine the institutional arrangements that have facilitated the success of the BRT system in that Brazilian city.

The development of a Bus Rapid Transit system is a multistage process involving design, development, evaluation, testing and, finally, deployment of the project. Most of the Bus Rapid Transit system projects involve a diverse set of stakeholders. The multiplicity of jurisdictions, differences of opinion among the stakeholders and conflicting agendas often complicate the decision making process. It is particularly difficult to reach a consensus given the internal and external differences with regard to the transit agency.

The financial arrangements, commitment of the decision-makers to the success of the project, labour issues, the city planning process, land use policy, securing the support of the …show more content…

The impact of BRT on the existing road operations has to be given due consideration as they involve the local authorities. In order to commission a well-functioning BRT system, coordination with other transit agencies is extremely important.

INTRAGENCY

Most of the BRT strategies are foreign and their local implementation puts great pressure on the transit agency giving rise to institutional concerns. Choice of funding, allocation of scarce resources, additional responsibilities for the staff, maintenance of vehicles, developing new infrastructure, are issue that often lead to internal tensions. Securing internal agreement over the operational matters is crucial to the implementation of the BRT. Therefore, it is important to hold internal consultation so as to avoid interagency strife that may derail the project.

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