Increasing the Speed: Case Study from Santiago, Chile

Abstract

Bus operational speed—the average speed experienced by buses, including dwell times at bus stops—is a key issue to public transport users and operators. Rising congestion levels have had a direct impact on public transport’s level of service. This paper presents the results of a case study on measures implemented to increase bus operational speeds in the Santa Rosa main road in Santiago, Chile, one of the most critical points of the Santiago de Chile public transport system. By implementing a variety of operational measures, the authors were able to increase bus operational speeds by up to 130%. They argue that speeds at critical points can be significantly improved by implementing short-term measures, although the improvement depends on the physical and operational conditions of the road.