Bus Rapid Transit Nearly Quadruples Over Ten Years as Cities Discover Benefits, Cost Effectiveness of BRT, Experts See a Trend Towards BRT Globally

NEW YORK, Nov. 19, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Bus rapid transit has grown by 383 percent in the last ten years, with hundreds of systems in dozens of countries qualifying as true BRT, according to new data released today by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy. While costs vary across nations, BRT capital costs are generally less than ten percent of the cost of metro, and 30-60 percent of the cost of light rail. BRT can also be implemented much more quickly that rail-based transit, allowing systems to be created and expanded quickly to meet ever growing needs.

"Cities around the world are seeing their populations surge, and existing transportation systems are struggling to keep up, resulting in unprecedented congestion and pollution. For developing cities to compete globally, they urgently need high quality public transportation," says Jacob Mason, Transport Research and Evaluation Manager for ITDP, "Fortunately, governments around the world are increasingly turning to BRT as a cost-effective solution that can be implemented quickly. We're seeing that when it's done well, BRT attracts large ridership and can provide similar levels of speed, capacity, and comfort as metro and light rail transit options."

China is the global leader in BRT, having added 538 kilometers of BRT in the last ten years, dramatically up from only one system of 14 km in 2004. Brazil, spurred the World Cup and the 2016 Olympics, has built 206 kilometers, with nearly the same amount currently in planning. Mexico has built seven high quality BRT corridors in and around Mexico City as well as systems in six other cities, for 222 kilometers of BRT in ten years. Even the United States, which has been slow to embrace BRT, added 81 km in six new systems in the last ten years.

For complete scorecards and a breakdown of categories, visit brtstandard.org.

The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) is a global nonprofit that helps cities design and implement high-quality transit systems to make communities more livable, competitive and sustainable. Please visit www.itdp.org for more information.

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SOURCE Institute for Transportation and Development Policy