Bus rapid transit (BRT) refers to a variety of public transportation systems using buses that provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles, and scheduling. The goal of these systems is to approach the service quality of rail transit while still enjoying the cost savings and flexibility of bus transit.

BRT systems can have significant impacts in terms of climate change mitigation by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, or responding to the challenges that result from rapid urbanization and decentralization.

PPIAF and its Sub-National Technical Assistance program have supported these BRT systems, which can be the most efficient way of improving public transportation services in urban areas. Below are several examples. Final reports and related materials are included when available.

• In 2004 PPIAF approved a grant to develop a Toolkit on Market-Based Approaches in Private Sector Provision of Bus Services that provides guidance to policymakers on how to organize, manage, and operate urban public transport, as well as attract efficient private operators. The toolkit’s approach combines public planning, policy setting, and oversight with competitively selected private providers. Preparation of the toolkit was followed by several additional PPIAF-financed transport activities, including the development and delivery of a series of workshops ”Introduction to Public Transport Planning, Operations, and Management,” one of which was attended by the Mayor of Cebu City. This led to a follow-up activity to prepare a bus reform/BRT development plan for Cebu City. Click here to see related Impact Story.

• In 2009 PPIAF provided a $315,000 grant to fund the pre-feasibility study for a BRT corridor in Cebu City, the Philippines, laying the groundwork for this project to gain traction and additional funding. The program is now close to completion and the government of the Philippines has included the BRT project in its Climate Technology Fund investment plan to be financed by the World Bank. Click to see the related Feature Story and Impact Story.

• PPIAF assistance was requested by the government of Uganda in 2009 to help define the long-term conceptual design of the BRT system for the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area based on the current and forecasted travel demand as dictated by the land use and development plans. This activity helped the government of Uganda prepare terms of reference for a preliminary design covering the infrastructural, operational, and PPP aspects; and institutional arrangements and financial controls necessary for implementation of a pilot BRT system on a selected priority corridor in the short term. The final report Pre-Feasibility Studies for the Development of a Long-Term Integrated Bus Rapid Transit System for Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area can be found here.

• In 2008 PPIAF’s SNTA program helped the Municipality of Lima, Peru obtain a credit rating, which contributed to a $70 million commercial bank loan to fund much-needed infrastructure investment, including the Metropolitano Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Project in Lima. Click here to see the relevant Impact Story.

• Barranquilla, Colombia needed to improve the efficiency and safety of public urban transport services and provide reliable accessibility to the poor. However, Barranquilla had been going through a difficult fiscal and financial situation, and could not borrow or allocate resources to co-finance the cost of infrastructure, resulting in substantial delays in the implementation of a BRT system. Thus, assistance from PPIAF's SNTA program was requested in 2008 by Transmetro S.A, in close collaboration with the Finance Secretary of Barranquilla’s Municipality, to fund a detailed diagnostic of Barranquilla’s public finances and a strategic plan to address the most pressing constraints, including the municipality’s ability to co-finance the 30% infrastructure costs of the BRT system. The Municipality adopted the proposed recommendations, which included the liquidation of 20 decentralized entities, the termination of contracts that outsourced the District's past-due/account collection responsibilities (collection of past due accounts is now done in-house), and the adoption of a unified account IT system/platform. Barranquilla was able to obtain two credit lines with Davivienda, a local commercial bank, amounting to COP 25 million and COP 30 million respectively.

Related materials:

Toolkit on Market-Based Approaches in Private Sector Provision of Bus Services

PPIAF Global Knowledge Products Improve Urban Transport in the Philippines

Pre-Feasibility Studies for the Development of a Long-Term Integrated Bus Rapid Transit System for Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area

PPIAF Helps Peruvian Sub-Nationals Tap Financial Markets

PPIAF Helps Improve Bus Transport Services in Vietnam’s Capital