TransMilenio System is the largest investment in public transportation in Colombia in the last decade, with significant impacts on travel times, transportation costs, the environment, accidents and urban development of the nation's capital. The system has been recognized as a sustainable transport best practice (see for example, Rosenthal, 2009).
This article documents the characteristics and costs of the Bogotá TransMilenio mass transit system, quantifies impacts on users and society as a whole, and calculates indicators for cost-benefit evaluation. This evaluation covers Phases I and II, which were implemented between 1998 and 2006.
It also reviews the execution of the plan set out by the national and local governments (CONPES, 2000), and examines the socioeconomic impact of the plan based on the results of Phases I and II.
The article details the achievements and positive impacts of the system, and highlights urgent needs for improvement, as its user satisfaction declines and infrastructure costs rise.
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