1. Across Latitudes and Cultures
Bus Rapid Transit Centre of Excellence
ALC-BRT CoE
A goal,
a challenge,
an opportunity
EMBARQ, January 15th, 2013

2. Agenda
• Who we are
• Vision
• Objectives
• Major outcomes

3. Who we are
• Headquarters: Department of Transport Engineering and
Logistics at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
• Instituto Superior Técnico from the Lisbon Technical University
• Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies from the University
of Sydney
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• EMBARQ Network from The World Resources Institute Centre
for Sustainable Transport

4. Our Vision
We consider BRT systems as a key element in the
development of sustainable future urban transport
Affordable
Flexible and adaptable
Implementable quickly
Potentially as attractive for users as rail-based public
transport alternatives

5. Our Vision
BRT systems are a feasible instrument to make metropolitan
areas more sustainable from the economic, financial, social,
political, technical and environmental perspectives, making
them more attractive places to live, work and visit.
We will not be a BRT Advocacy agency. Instead, we will give
clear guidelines on when and how BRT projects can
effectively enhance mobility and meet accessibility needs.

6. Our Main Objective
Develop a new framework for the
planning,
design,
financing,
implementation and
operation
of BRT.

7. Our Objectives
• Give clear guidelines to decision makers on when and
how BRT projects can effectively enhance mobility
and meet accessibility needs.
• Support the successful deployment of BRT, through
the identification and effective communication of the
conditions necessary for success at the strategic,
tactical and operational decision levels.

8. Major Outcomes
A BRT Observatory: gather, interpret and present BRT data.

9. BRT Observatory

10. Major Outcomes
A BRT Observatory: gather, interpret and present BRT data.
A BRT Laboratory: develop in-depth understanding of the
factors and relations underlying system
performance, developing or improving
analytical methods and their supporting
instruments.

11. BRT Laboratory
LS1) Structured assessment of BRT performance
LS2) Exploring the complexity of policy design
LS3) From vision to promise to delivery
LT2) Typology and analysis of business plans, contracts and incentives for BRT and urban
mobility systems.
LT3) Determine key elements of higher satisfaction for users and authorities
LT5) Modeling reliability, cost, travel times, safety, comfort and other relevant variables of
modal choice
LO1) Explore innovative ways to manage and control BRT services
O5) Create and provide a benchmark report
O6) Start case studies.

12. Major Outcomes
A BRT Observatory: gather, interpret and present BRT data.
A BRT Laboratory: develop in-depth understanding of the
factors and relations underlying system
performance, developing or improving
analytical methods and their supporting
instruments.
A BRT Educational program: deploy the knowledge gained supporting
teaching, education and training for regular
and long-life learning.

13. Educational Program
13th International Conf Series on Competition and Ownership in Land Passenger Transport
Oxford, UK September 15 to 19, 2013.
14th International Conf Series on Competition and Ownership in Land Passenger Transport
Santiago, Chile September, 2015.

14. Educational Program
MONTHLY WEBINAR, NEXT (third):
Making Use of Automated Data Collection to Improve Transit Effectiveness
Nigel Wilson, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, MIT
Friday, January 25, 2013 at 1300 Chilean Summer Time
Register with lpaget@uc.cl
Several International Training Programs:
September 2012, Barcelona, Spain
November 2012, Pereira, Colombia
February 2013, Gothemburg, Sweden
July 2013, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
September 2013, Oxford, UK

15. Major Outcomes
A BRT Observatory: gather, interpret and present BRT data.
A BRT Laboratory: develop in-depth understanding of the
factors and relations underlying system
performance, developing or improving
analytical methods and their supporting
instruments.
A BRT Educational program: deploy the knowledge gained supporting
teaching, education and training for regular
and long-life learning.
Support Implementation: Support one or more cities willing to start a
transformation of their public transport
system.

16. Support implementation
Strategic alliance with the Latin-American Association of Integrated
Transit Systems and BRT (SIBRT)

17. Opportunity
Agents for change in cities worldwide
Transcend the VREF support time span.
Extra funds and lots of energy, good thoughts
and enthusiasm will be needed

18. Across Latitudes and Cultures
Bus Rapid Transit Centre of Excellence
ALC-BRT CoE
A goal,
a challenge,
an opportunity
EMBARQ, January 15th, 2013