A greener Colombia
February 26, 2013
Project goal: Make transportation eco-friendly in the capital Bogotá
Project size: TransMilenio transports up to 2 million passengers a day, ca. 90,000 old trucks are to be scrapped
Savings potential: Trucks account for more than half of the country’s emissions in the transport industry
Project volume: The international Climate Initiative has invested around 1,500,000 euros ($1.99 million), the money is also used to sponsor similar bus systems in South Africa and Indonesia
In the Colombian capital Bogotá, a bus rapid transit system called “TransMilenio” has become a model form of transportation for developing cities around the world. A combination of designated bus lanes and bike paths, free shuttle buses and underground bicycle stations have proven to be just as effective as a subway system, at just a fraction of the cost. Private bus companies that still have old, polluting carbon-belching vehicles in their fleet are given incentives to close down service and send their drivers to work for TransMilenio instead. What’s more, the country is trying to slash CO2 emissions in its booming freight sector as well by introducing a scrappage bonus.
A film by Michael Altenhenne