Options for Operational Models

Business models for public bus transport can be of various kinds. In order to be particularly effective, they should be adapted to the mobility habits, social status of the users and the spatial conditions of a city. This post explores two different examples of operational models in Latin America. While assessing the business models for electric bus deployment on the one hand, the role and modernization possibilities of informal and formal services are presented on the other hand.

New business models for electric bus deployment in Latin America

Although the procurement costs of electric buses and buses using alternative fuel technologies have significantly lowered in the last years, the high upfront costs and the charging infrastructure remain an important challenge for bus operators with little access to financing options. Therefore, alternative ownership models are needed that help to overcome the high expenses in the beginning. This report by C40 analyzes and evaluates several options for operational models that are currently being used in Latin American cities.

Name of the Document: Accelarating a market transition in Latin America: New business models for electric bus deployment
Organisation: C40
Year: 2020
99 Pages | Language: English

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Informal and Semiformal Services in Latin America

Semiformal and informal transportation services fill a market need as they provide high-frequency, high-coverage, and adaptable services with fewer transfers. Simultenously, they can create negative externalities such as pollution, congestion and poor road safety. Many Latin American cities have therefore sought modernization of the informal and semiformal transport sector by implementing bus rapid transit systems. This report reviews the outcomes of those reform processes.

Name of the Document: Informal and Semiformal Services in Latin America: An Overview of  Public Transportation Reforms
Organisation: IDB
Year: 2020
73 Pages | Language: English

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