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A Critical Look at Major Bus Improvements in Latin America and Asia: Case Study Optibús, León, Guanajuato, México

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CASE STUDY OPTIBUS, LEON, GUANAJUATO, MEXICO

DARIO HIDALGO PIERRE GRAFTIEAUX

SUMMARY

León System is the result of a gradual change in transport institutions and operations over a 15 year period. The Optibus system currently in place is the first phase of a citywide transformation of the traditional transit provision schemes. The System includes three high capacity corridors with a total length of 25 km, 60% of them longitudinally segregated, with 51 stations and three terminals. Trunk operations are provided with 52 articulated buses. There are 6 auxiliary routes and 31 feeder routes operating with 500 conventional buses. The system has 220,000 pax/weekday with 3,000 pax/hour/direction in the heaviest loaded section. Operations are fully private, under control of the 13 historic concessionaries, including centralized fare collection (Pagobús) and operational management (OCO). Overall supervision is provided by the General Directorate of Transport (DGT), of the Municipality of León. Things done well • The system is a city wide transformation with the participation of all the

traditional operators. • The infrastructure costs have been very low. • High performance: commercial speed of 18-20 km/h and 10 passengers per

kilometer run. • Service receives good ratings by the users. • Integrated fare collection systems preceded the implementation of high

capacity corridors and integration facilities. • Fares are defined by technical formulae agreed upon the Municipality and the

transport groups. Incentives (penalties, bonuses) have been included in the distribution of revenues. The system is financially balanced and does not require public subsidies.

Things that perhaps should have been done differently • Implementation was rushed, causing operational problems, user

dissatisfaction and a bad public image. Most problems were corrected in the first months of operations, though.


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• Some infrastructure problems, such pavement rutting, conflicting left turns to general traffic, downtown bottleneck in Av. Alemán, could have been avoided with increased funding to the project infrastructure.

• Respect of the busways by the general traffic, especially at intersections, is not adequate due to lack of enforcement and driver’s education.

Critical positive enablers • Support to transport studies by the National Government with IBRD loans in

the early 1990’s gave planning background information and basic concepts developed later into the system implementation.

• Gradual decentralization of transport authority from the State level to the municipality of León.

• Leadership of Transport Engineer Luis Enrique Moreno, which created the area of public transport within the municipality and formed the technical team that developed the project and negotiated the participation of existing private operators.

• Grouping of the traditional companies into a single syndicate “Coordinadora de Transporte” for negotiation with the authority and protection of their interest. Rather than resisting to change, the “Coordinadora” negotiated favorable changes for service provision while keeping business feasible.

• Creation of a trust fund with a contribution from passenger fares that enabled several improvements and gave the opportunity to the operators to introduce fare collection and control technologies and fund site visits (Colombia, Brazil, Canada), among other expenses.

Critical barriers • Changes in state laws to allow transition of authority form the State to the

Local level, and creation of a capable agency within the municipal structure. This was solved through the process. Still public authority (Transprot Directorate) has not enough independence from the municipal central government.

• Initial opposition of traditional operators was solved as they found that change was also positive for their interest.

• Funding for system infrastructure (initial and phase two) is critical, even at the very low cost of the implemented infrastructures. This was partially solved with creative financing, such as the concession of stations and bus stops for advertisements.

• Growing congestion due to increases in car fleet, and perception of the exclusive bus ways are not fully used (required bus intervals are still above 2 minutes in the peak hours).


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CITY CONTEXT León is the 5th largest city in México, with a total of 1,135,000 inhabitants (Leon, 2006). It is also the largest city in the State of Guanajuato, but it is not the seat of the state government. León is an important industrial and commercial center in the valley of “El Bajío”, 350 km northwest of México City. León’s‘s rapid economic growth has caused urban expansion and motorization. Most motorized trips, estimated at 1.1 million in 1990, were on public transport (65%, DGT, 2006). Before implementation of an Integrated Tranport System (SIT, acronym in Spanish), transport users of the system rated service as very low quality (DGT, 2006). The main concerns were safety and security, bad service by drivers, and high costs, specially for those living in the periphery that were required to use two or more vehicles to complete their trip without an integrated fare. The average trip time was 40 minutes (DGT, 2006). Concessions were granted by the State Government to 13 companies that used 1,850 vehicles in 75 different routes. Dispersed operation was prevalent, with the concessionaries acting as intermediaries between individual vehicle owners and the authorities. A process of modernization and institutional change was initiated by several federally funded transport studies in the early 1990s and a Transport State Law in 1993. This law initiated decentralization of transport management and regulation to the municipalities in the State of Guanajuato. Gradual enhancement of local capabilities since 1996 and negotiations with existing concessionaries, resulted in a citywide reorganization of public transport provision, regarded as Integrated Transport System SIT-Optibus

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT

SIT-Optibús started operations 27 September 2003 The System includes three high capacity corridors with a total length of 25 km, 60% of them longitudinally segregated with at grade intersections; as well as 6 auxiliary routes (or interbarrios) and 31 feeder routes, both operating on mixed traffic. Operations are fully private, under control of the 13 historic concessionaries, including centralized fare collection (Pagobús) and operational management (OCO). Overall supervision is provided by the General Directorate of Transport (DGT), of the Municipality of León. The high capacity corridors, or trunk-ways, are median busways, with 51 stations (every 400 m, on average), and have three terminals or transfer stations (North, East, South-temporary). Segregation is provided through small metallic bumps, road markings and vertical signs and signals on two out of three corridors. The remaining corridor is not exclusive, but gives priority to buses on the median


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lane. Validation is provided at the entrance of each station and terminal (off-board). Most stations operate platforms serving both directions; 12 are separated to provide room for a median bikeway. Trunk-ways operate with 52 articulated buses with EURO III emissions standard. The auxiliary and feeder routes are integrated at the three terminals and operate with 500 conventional buses. The areas not fully covered by the integrated system remain under the previous operational scheme (route concessions and one-man, one bus operation), with a total of 1,150 buses. The system handles 220,000 pax/weekday (April, 2006, DGT). Trunk operations exhibit high performance standards: 3 minutes peak hour interval, 18-20 km/h; 10 passengers per kilometer run; up to 3,000 pax/hour/direction in the heaviest loaded section (Data from interviews to DGT). User acceptance of the system is high (8.0 out of 10.0 points) with the main complaint being long transfer times and high occupation of the buses (DGT, 2006). The public image of the system is mixed, due to early implementation problems, long transfer times, lack of coverage in several areas of the city, and the perception of unfair reduction of capacity for general traffic. The cost of the infrastructure (stations, terminals, segregation, geometric improvements, enhancement of pavements at selected sites, traffic signssigns and signals) was MXP 220 million (USD 22 million). Funds were provided through the State of Guanajuato (59%) and the Municipality of Leon (41%). The local funding includes MXP 20 Million (USD 2 Million) from a 15 year concession of public spaces (stations, bus stops) for advertisements (DGT, 2006). Private investment was MXP 230 Million (USD 23 Million) for the acquisition of the 52 articulated buses, land acquisition for depots, construction of maintenance and administrative facilities, and training of drivers and mechanics (DGT, 2006). The ,main dates of project advancement are summarized as follows (DGT, 2006):

• Early planning. Transport planning efforts supported by the federal government, through the Secretary of Social Development –SEDESOL- started in 1989 and resulted in a Road Plan; Pavement Administration System; Centralized Signaling System; Creation of the Municipal Planning Institute – IMPLAN, 1994; creation of a Transport Area, 1994; and a Program for Technical Training.

• A new State Transport Law, in 1993, started the municipalization of transport activities, generating the opportunity for collaboration in transport control. An agreement was signed in 1995 to transfer to the municipality these functions, but retaining at the state level the authority to grant concessions and set fares.


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• Route reorganization study in 1995, supported by SEDESOL, which provided basic information on supply and demand and proposed the integrated transport system for implementation in the medium and long term.

• Participation of the Transport Area in the state’s “Fare Definition Mixed Commission” in 1996. Introduction of improvement measures as a condition to raise fares.

• Creation of the Directorate of Transport of the Municipality of Leon (cabinet level) in 1997.

• Creation of the “Modernization Trust Fund” in 1998. The trust fund is funded with a fixed amount per vehicle included in the user fare. Moneys collected in the trust fund are earmarked for improvement measures of the transport system, and had been used in technical assistance and vistis, fare collection and passenger control equipment acquisition among other uses. The municipality provided seed capital of USD 1 Million and oversights the use of the trust fund. The trust fund has invested around MXP 200 million (USD 20 Million), including the introduction of the Pagobús fare collection system (on board and off board equipment, farecards and training).

• Transport and infrastructure planning was initiated in 1999, with the participation of Brazilian consultants (Logitrans, from Curitiba).

• New State Transport Law in 2002 that granted full autonomy to the municipal level in transport planning, regulation and control.

• Negotiations with existing concessionaries, that formed a coalition called “Cordinadora de Transporte de León” progressed through 1999 to 2003, including site visits to Curitiba, Sao Paulo, Quito, Bogotá and Canada.

• Detailed infrastructure design started in January 2002 • Construction was initiated in late 2002. • Operations initiated 27 September 2003.

Details of the system are presented in the SIT-Optibús fact sheet. There is a second phase planned to extend the system to the rest of the city within the next 5 years, and funding for preparation and implementation is being pursued.

ASSESMENT

Planning The project is the result of an evolutionary process over a 10 year period, in which technical capacity was built at the local level, both in the public and the private sector. The project was not envisioned as a pilot program but rather as a citywide improvement of public transport. Funding for planning came from traditional sources. Most early studies, specially the route reorganization study of 1995 were funded by SEDESOL, a federal agency in charge of support to local governments. The concept of trunk, auxiliary


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and feeder services in an integrated system, was the result of traditional transport planning techniques applied to the local environment. There appear to have been some problems in the early study (1995) due to a lack of capacity of the initially retained consultant. The studies were finalized by a different company (Logit), that brought ideas already applied in Brazil. Early planning seemed to be slow, probably due to the lack of technical interaction with local authorities. Early studies were complemented in 1999, with detailed operational planning of the general concepts proposed in 1995, and some suggestions for infrastructure. Selection of corridors and operational features was technical, with the support of knowledgeable consultants interacting with a capable local planning team. Once the support of the head of the local government was assured (late 2001, after a visit to Bogotá’s TransMilenio), several agencies were involved for fast approval of designs, funding, public information, traffic management, and so on. The main drawback during the planning period was the reduction of the project scope due to a lack of funding. The initial proposal (1999) was to reorganize all the public transportation services within the urban area. The project was cut back to a first phase, however, with the expectation of a second phase shortly thereafter. The final design was rushed by the need to start operations before the end of the administration, due in October 1993. Some details were solved on a temporary basis, such as alignment in a downtown corridor (Av. Alemán) and the South Terminal (Parque Juarez). Public participation was small. Most effort was dedicated to negotiations with existing concessionaries on the terms of the new operation and remuneration.. Given the previous work for the creation of “Pagobús” and other improvement measures, the participation of existing operators was not a major roadblock. Opposition came from different sources: the commercial community in a central street (Av. Alemán) and higher income residents of the area close to the east terminal (Delta). Changes in the design were required to please the commercial community, resulting in a sub-optimal arrangement. Outreach to the residents, and commitment to control potential negative impacts of the terminal to the residential area, mitigated the opposition raised by this community. Decision process The decision was a bottom-up process. The project was developed over several years by a small group of transport professionals with the help of international consultants, focusing on the technical elements. At the same time there were legal and institutional changes that created an adequate framework (transport state laws of 1993 and 2002; creation of the Directorate of Transport in 1997). Even though improvement of transport was part of the government plan of Mayor


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Luis Ernesto Ayala Torres (2000-2003), the final decision to proceed with funding and implementation only came late in 2001. A site visit to Bogotá in November 2001, and the positive attitude of the existing concessionaries towards the project were critical in helping the Major to commit to the project. The champion for the project was Engineer Luis Moreno, a transport professional in charge of the Directorate of Transport since its creation in 1997. He formed the implementation team and worked through different aspects of the project. He also received support from several local administrations. The main decisions in the process were: institutional structure, technical elements (infrastructure, buses, operations), financial aspects (fare and remuneration to the operators), and fare collection system (technology, implementation). These decisions are commented on below. Institutional Structure The project is fully privately operated, under control and oversight by the municipality. The decision was to keep existing concessionaries, under a transformed structure, as operators of the reorganized system. Existing concessionaries formed a block to interact with the authority, under fear of being displaced or negatively affected. It was necessary to create a local public institution for planning, regulation and control: the Directorate of Transport. Technical Elements The system is modeled after the Curitiba integrated system SIT: trunk, auxiliary (interbarrios) and feeder services. Technical decisions were influenced by Brazilian consultants, taking advantage of their long experience and recent planning and implementation of Bogotá’s, TransMilenio. High end BRT concepts were applied for the trunk-ways: median busways, prepaid/level access stations, large buses, centralized control and programming. Local demand levels only require one lane per direction. Several adaptations were required to adjust the general concept to the local characteristics. For example, usage of roads in the downtown area was difficult, due to very limited right of way (under 15 meters). This required use of one way streets and the allowance of mixed traffic sections. The location of terminals (transfer stations) was influenced by land availability and projected city growth. Some feeder routes exhibit reverse commuting or long detours to reach the integration station, making them unattractive. One terminal (south) was located on very limited space in font of a city park (Parque Juarez) on a temporary basis.


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Large buses provide a distinctive image to the system. These buses are called “orugas” (caterpillars) and are very important in differentiating the trunk operation from business-as-usual. Peak demand, below 4,000 passengers per hour per direction, could be handled with smaller buses on shorter intervals, but the decision was to go for large new buses, to provide reserve capacity. The use of existing buses in auxiliary and feeder services was influenced by existing operators, reducing the capital needs for initial implementation. Some vehicles are still not adequately designed for passenger transport (adapted trucks) reducing passenger comfort. Financial Aspects The main decision was to have self sustainable operations (no operational subsidy). The final user fare is more a result than requirement. The system currently operates at a flat fare of MXP 5.0 (USD 0.50), with special fares for non card users MXP 6.0 (USD 0.60) and students, elderly and handicapped MXP 2.5 (USD 0.25). A complex system of distribution of income according to the kilometers and passengers moved by each component of the system has been agreed upon the operators with the DGT, under the concept of “compensation-box” (caja de compensación). This system is continuously revised and updated, and requires consensus of all the participants, including the authority. Fare collection Fare collection is off board on the trunk-way stations, and on-board in the auxiliary and feeder buses. The system uses contact-less fare cards. Control of the number of passengers in the buses is provided with mechanic turnstiles and infrared beams. Access and exit from the buses are through different doors. Dwell time are long (2-3 sec per passenger) as only one door is used and there is no accumulation inside the buses. Implementation approach The project is the first phase of a citywide reform of public transport provision. The system is a result of a joint effort of the municipality (with financial support from the State of Guanajuato) and the existing transport operators. Making all transport operators part of the process is a major achievement. The private operators organized new companies to own and operate the trunk buses, and reorganize their structures to operate auxiliary and feeder services. They also created Pagobús, the company in charge of the fare collection system and the Operations Control Body OCO, in charge of detailed operational planning and operational control, following standards set forth by the General Directorate of Transport of the Municipality of León. These changes were possible as a result of the modernization process promoted by the municipality since1996.


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Negotiation of the fares was the key instrument used to promote these changes: no adjustment was granted by the authority if changes were not introduced. To make changes operational, a trust fund was created in 1998, with a fixed payment per bus, and generally earmarked towards modernization. This trust fund allowed the creation of the centralized fare collection system, and implementation of control instruments (infrared beam to count passengers); it also provided funding for site visits and training. Legal reforms in the state laws provided the required framework, especially the 2002 transport state law that assigned full responsibility to the municipalities for transport planning, control and supervision. This, and the previous law of 1993, allowed for the creation and improvement of the local authority, devoted almost entirely to project development and oversight. Implementation Implementation was fast once the commitment of the Major Luis Ernesto Ayala Torres (2000-2003) was public. Coordination of several institutions was provided by a project team, formed by 11 local institutions, headed by the secretary of the city hall (Secretaria del Ayuntamiento) and with the technical support of DGT. The responsibilities of the different agencies were (DGT, 2006):

• Directorate of Public Works – Design, bidding and execution of infrastructure (terminals, segregation)

• Directorate of Urban Development – Land uses, licenses • Institute of Planning – Approval of preliminary designs, system signage

and image, station characteristics • Directorate of Traffic – Traffic management, approval of road geometry,

signs and signals, implementation of signs and signals, approval of work plans (traffic impact mitigation)

• Directorate of the Environment – Approval of environmental studies and plans, Environmental mitigation measures

• Directorate of Social Development – Public outreach and information through the social network (neighborhood leaders, general public)

• Directorate of Entrepreneurial Development - Public outreach and information to the commercial and industrial sectors

• Directorate of the Treasury – Provision of local funding and administration of state grants

Intermediate stations and bus stops were funded and provided through a concession scheme on public advertisement for a 15 year period. This reduced by 20 million (USD 2 million) the local funding requirements for the project. Commissioning of the system was premature (Interviews, 2006). Most components were not ready for commercial operations the day of inauguration


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(27th, September, 2003). This caused several problems: congestion, delays, and passenger frustration. Most of the problems were solved during the first weeks of operation. Implementation problems are divided into infrastructure, operations, and user education issues. Infrastructure Some elements were not complete at the start of operations: Stations were not fully completed and their quality was not as envisioned; a vehicle overpass to access the east terminal station (Puente Delta) was not ready causing detours and delays to trunk and feeder buses; segregation elements were of poor quality; and some pedestrian crossings were not properly signalized. All these elements were completed or replaced over the first months after commissioning (Interviews, 2006). Operations Trunk buses were delivered days before system commissioning. As a result training of the drivers was incomplete at system opening. Alignment of the buses with the stations was poor at the beginning and approach speeds very low (causing increased cycle time and bunching). Driver training and bus programming was gradually solved over the first weeks of operation. There was a problem in the provision of feeder service due to the initial remuneration scheme on a route by route basis. Financially weak routes did not receive proper service. This was solved through the introduction of a compensation-box (“caja de compensación”), where trunk buses and the best feeder routes share revenues with the weak feeder routes. Fare collection was not a problem as the “Pagobús” system was already in place long before system commissioning. User education Even though there were educational campaigns, change was difficult for most users. Commuting routines were changed, and the introduction of feeder services, some with extended or reversed itineraries caused discomfort. This produced user frustration and a bad public image. The local authorities mitigated problems with changes in services and the reassignment of cancelled routes. Operators claim that this caused a reduction in total demand and an imbalance among the participants. Issues during Operation


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The system is in its third year of operation. Expected demand has been smaller than expected by 27%. User satisfaction, regarded as low at the beginning of operations, is above 80% (Interviews, 2006). The system is operating well, with high occupation and performance (10 passengers per kilometer), nevertheless there are some complaints on delays in feeder services and high occupation of vehicles. There are several issues that have been improved over the first months and others that still deserve attention. Issues during operations are divided into institutional, infrastructure, bus operations, and user friendliness: Institutional Issues The City of León arrangement leaves most operational aspects to the private operators, with planning and oversight provided by the government through a specialized agency. Both public and private agents learnt during the process. There is some lack of coordination among government agencies. The Traffic Directorate does not give full priority to bus operations, and sometimes traffic agents let general traffic use the busways to relieve congestion. There are fines for the invasion of the busways, but are not consistently applied by traffic and transport supervisors. There was not a bidding process to award the concessions, but rather a transformation of previously existing permits. This required continuous bargaining. Initial agreements did not include operational penalties, which were introduced later on, based on a transport regulation (“Reglamento de Transporte”) issued by the city council. Another issue has been that private operators work on a consensus basis, grouped under a coordination body “Coordinadora de Transporte”. Consensus is sometimes difficult to achieve, especially on the determination of the participation of each company on the income. Dissatisfaction has arisen; one of the companies has claimed unfair treatment and has filed civil law suits. Infrastructure System infrastructure is considered low cost, (USD 22 million, USD 1.2 million/km of trunk-way and USD 0.07/pax). There are some aspects to improve, but they are non-critical:

• Pavements were not reinforced for initial implementation. Only selected points have been reinforced. As a result, some rutting is evident especially at stations. There is a need to improve this infrastructure.

• Improvement of the segregation devices. The initial segregation element (concrete blocks) was too weak and showed early deterioration. It was replaced by a metallic round bumps, easy to pass, which facilitates the


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invasion of busways by general traffic. Sometimes, this invasion is promoted by traffic police, as a means to relieve congestion.

• Left turns. Left turns are allowed requiring interlacing movements, which introduces a safety issue. Bus lanes are often invaded by turning vehicles at intersections; buses then move to general traffic lanes not to stop at traffic lights. There are no reports of major accidents due to this issue. Improvement of this point may require the introduction of detours (turn right before turning left or cloverleaf intersections).

Bus Operations Bus operations, especially on the trunk corridors, do not exhibit major issues. Feeder services have been modified to reduce reverse commuting and improve speed. There were reports of insufficient bus stop shelters (Interviews, 2006). Buses were required to have an additional platform 20 cm high below the seats to give room to the cooling devices of the engine. It seems that Euro III engines require more room than their predecessors, and the 90 cm floor height was not enough. There are some reports of overheating. To improve service there are some possibilities, for example:

• Reduce dwell time at terminals and bus stops for auxiliary and feeder buses. Dwell times are long (2-3 sec per passenger). Buses only use the rear door for unloading and the front door for loading in separate platforms for each operation. Use of two doors may cut dwell times by half, this may require reprogramming the passenger counting devices and taking out on board turnstiles.

• Introduce integration at intermediate stations, using schemes similar to the one applied in the south terminal (Parque Juarez). This may help in enhancing integration possibilities and reducing reverse commuting.

• Introduce direct services. As only one lane per direction is reserved for buses, it seems difficult to provide overtaking capacity. Nevertheless, usage of general traffic lanes is not difficult for trunk line buses. There is also the possibility of introducing accelerated or express services only stopping at selected stations

• Operate trains of buses, which might require modification of stations (provision of an additional platform in each direction).

• Introduce larger buses (e.g. bi-articulated buses), might also require changes at stations (25 m platforms).

• Provision of passing lanes for the introduction of express services, which might require strong political decision, as general traffic lanes are already congested.

Management of grade intersections is a continuous challenge. Traffic police are provided at some intersections, but instead of facilitating bus operations, police


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often give access to the bus-lanes to general traffic to reduce congestion. There is a need to improve coordination among city agencies, and set bus operations as a priority. Coordination with other transport initiatives SIT-Optibus is the citywide public transport initiative, and it is yet to be completed. There are plans to improve coordination with other modes (e.g. park and ride facilities, integration with intercity traffic, and better coordination with bikeways through integrated bike parking). RECOMMENDED IMPROVEMENTS Most potential improvements have been already identified when outlining problems. They can be summarized as follows:

• Enhance understanding of the importance of bus operations, inside and outside the city administration. Lack of coordination between Traffic and Transportation may cause growing problems to bus operations.

• Study and implement operational improvements, such as usage of several doors in feeder and auxiliary services to reduce dwell time; introduction of direct services using mixed traffic lanes; and introduction of short circuits to improve service without increasing bus fleet.

• Invest in infrastructure and assign resources for timely maintenance. Attention to pavements appears to be the main priority, as well as solving some critical sections (e.g. the bottleneck at Av. Alemán and the temporary integration facility at Parque Juárez).

• Integrate bicycles and park-and-ride facilities. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This study has been produced with the financial assistance of a grant from TRISP, a partnership between the UK Department for International Development and the World Bank, for learning and sharing of knowledge in the fields of transport and rural infrastructure services. The authors acknowledge the assistance of Jules Flynn and Adriana Ortegón. Thanks also to the officials, project operators and consultants that contributed time and information through interviews. The views expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the World Bank or the people interviewed. INTERVIEWS IN THE CITY OF LEON • Ing. Luis Enrique Moreno Cortes – Director General de Transporte, H.

Ayuntamiento de León, Guanajuato. (Abril 20, 2006) • Ing. Javier Delgadillo – Subdirector de Transporte, Dirección General de

Transporte, H. Ayuntamiento de León, Guanajuato. (Abril 20, 2006)


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• Ing. Genero Torres Cruz – Director del Sistema Integrado de Transporte, Dirección General de Transporte, H. Ayuntamiento de León, Guanajuato. (Abril 20, 2006)

• Ex-director Coordinadora de Transporte Urbano de la Ciudad S.C. Sr. Leonardo Ruvalcaba Delgado (Presidente L[inea Centro Bellavista]

• Asesor Legal Coordinadora de Transporte Urbano de la Ciudad S.C. • Gerente Línea Centro Garita S.A de C.V. REFERENCES • http://www.leon.gob.mx/portal/ Official web site of the Municipality of León,

Visited April 2006 • http://www.leon.gob.mx/portal/modules/icontent/index.php?page=229 Web

site for the Dirección General de Transporte de León, Visited April 2006. • http://correo.leon.gob.mx/admon03_06/transporte/sitioweb/ Official web site

of the Integrated Transport System Optibus, Visited April 2006 • http://www.optibusoperadoras.com.mx/index.html, Web site for the private

operators of Optibus. Visited April 2006. • Dirección General de Transporte –DGT (2006) “Sistema Integrado de

Transprote – SIT Optibús de León, Guanajuato, México”. Unpublished Paper. • Menckhoff Gerhard (2005), LATIN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE WITH BUS

RAPID TRANSIT. WORLD BANK. Annual meeting- Institute of Transportation Engineers.


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LEÓN Main Sources

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS Population 1,475,000 millions 1

Location 1798 m above sea level 25

Area 1183.20 km² 25

Density 1247 persons per km²

GOVERNMENT Locally elected Mayor; Elections every 3 years. Transport under local administration since 2002 (previously under State Government)

ECONOMY Local Characteristics

Fast growing industrial and commercial center; leather manufacturing Informal developments in the periphery

2005 country GNI/capita ($)

6,770

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TRANSPORTATION DEMAND AND CHARACTERISTICS BEFORE BRT IMPLEMENTATION Motorized Trips 1.1 Million 26

Public Transit Trips 65%

Total Motor Vehicles 220,000

Total public transit vehicles 1,850; 75 routes, 13 private companies (concessionaries)

Average Commercial Speed 12-15 km/h

CITY CONTEXT

General Public Transport characteristics Each vehicle operating as an isolated unit (one-man-one-vehicle); inadequate fleet: poor image; high level of accidents; two or more paid vehicles to complete a trip from the periphery.


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SIT OPTIBUS M.S

GENERAL DESCRIPTION Integrated transport system featuring trunk, auxiliary and feeder services, with a coverage of 30% of the local public transport demand. Includes high level BRT corridors (26 km, 60% of them fully segregated). Includes advanced fare collection system. Privately operated under supervision of local authorities.

DESIGN FEATURES/ TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Running ways • For the first phase of the project the “Transportation Integrated System” implemented 3 central –exclusive or preferential- trunk lines. 26 km of length.

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Stations • 2 transfer stations (north and east) and 1 provisional in the south. • 51 stops in the trunk lines with an average separation of 400 m. High level platforms

and no passing lanes.

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Operations/ Service plan

• Integration of 3 trunk lines, 6 auxiliary routes (connect neighborhoods) and 31 feeder routes (neighborhood-station routes). Trunk routes stop at all stations.

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Trunk Line Vehicles

• 52 articulated Diesel buses, dubbed “Orugas”, for the trunk-lines. Euro III. Boarding through 3 left hand doors

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Feeder services Vehicles

• 500 conventional buses for the other routes. 3 25

ITS • Closed Circuit TV to control platforms. No centralized control.

Fare Collection • Electronic rechargeable contactless card “PagoBús” and coin based collection. • Off-board collection.

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FARES

DESCRIPTION O

F THE PROJECT

• Average of 0.45 USD • Differential fares:

-Preferential (with card) : 0.25USD -General (with card): 0.47USD -Cash: 0.5USD

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SIT OPTIBUS M.S

SYSTEM PERFORMANCE

Speed • Line 1: 21 kph • Line 2: 17 kph • Line 3: 15 kph

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DEMAND

Total Riders • 220.000 pax/weekday (total annual not available) which represent the 30% of the total trips of the city (650.000).

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Peak-Hour Riders

IMPLEMENTATION BENEFITS AND IMPACTS • 40% reduction of fatal accidents and users complains. • Better conditions for the drivers means safer operation and better interaction with the users. • Around 200 old buses were taken out of the streets with fuel savings of 6’205.000 liters per year, which

means lower expenses on $32.3 million of Mexican pesos and a 13% reduction on contaminant emissions • Modernization of the transport companies • The users perceive that their daily expenditure on transport has fallen due to the integrated fare. • According to the results of an evaluation study of the Optibus services the users graded the system with an

average 8.4 out of 10. • Improvements of the traffic signs and modernization of the lights network: more pedestrian intersections

and audio aids for visually impaired. • Modernization of pedestrian bridges: 5 bridges under construction with ramps to facilitate the access of

persons with different capacities.

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INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS • The project was conceived in 1994 after the creation of the Transport Coordination Entity (TCE), a

partnership between 13 bus companies which have since organized their operations into four large companies.

• The city created the “Integrated Transport System” a commission which includes representatives of the city, the state and TCE.

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SIT OPTIBUS M.S

• There is a clear differentiation and assignment of responsibilities between the system agents: 1. Government: Plan, build and maintain infrastructure and supervise service. 2. Transport Companies: build offices and garages, supervise operation, and acquire trunk fleet. 3. Operation committee: Formed by the “Dirección General de Transportes” and “Organización

operación y control-OCO” 4. Fiduciary firm: “Fideicomiso PagoBús” Acquire equipment, fare collection, income distribution.

COST AND FINANCE • Total cost 1.4 USD million per km • Total infrastructure investment of approximate 20 USD million. 1.0 USD million per km. • Private investment on buses 23 USD million.

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Exhibit 1 Optibus SIT - System Map

Source: http://www.leon.gob.mx/portal/modules/icontent/inPages/temp/transporte/ , visited May 2006


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Exhibit 2 Typical Profile and Station

Photo: D. Hidalgo, April 2006

Exhibit 3

Station Interior



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Exhibit 4 Terminal Pedestrian Access (North Terminal)


Exhibit 5

Terminal Interior (North Terminal)



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Exhibit 6

Access to Articulated Buses (3 doors)


Exhibit 7

Access to Feeder Buses (1 door)



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Exhibit 8

Bottle Neck Av. Alemán (Downtown Commercial Street)


Exhibit 9 Pavement Rutting (Av. Alemán)



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Exhibit 10

Left Turn Conflict with General Traffic


Exhibit 11

Grafiti in Buses


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