Evaluating the Role and Evolution of Factors Influencing Rapid Transit Planning in Ecuador

Abstract

In practice, the process of transportation planning is shaped by more than technical factors. This paper analyzes how different factors (demand, local conditions, financial, social, and political) have influenced all of the rapid transit projects in Ecuador over the past three decades by evaluating their relative significance on each system component (alignment, size, and technology). This research uses a multiple-case methodology including in-depth interviews with the senior members of the technical teams, as well as a survey component based on the analytic hierarchy process for quantification of the relative significance of the factors. The comparative analysis of projects shows five key results: (1) Each project was unique and external factors introduced a varying degree of complexity into each planning process; (2) The systems’ alignments and sizes were mostly driven by demand and local conditions (rational planning process); (3) The main factor driving technology selection has evolved over time from system demand to political (political bargaining approach); (4) Negative economic conditions had a large influence on the factors of all project components; (5) There is a lack of rational alternative evaluation and an absence of corresponding tools/guidelines in Ecuador. Nonetheless, several processes included practices that contributed to a more rational planning process: lifecycle cost analysis for the various technology alternatives, explicit decision-maker guidelines, transferring the demand risk to the private sector, and the use of multicriteria decision analysis. Implications for future planning efforts are discussed.

Bus Rapid Transit: End of trend in Latin America?

“…Quito advanced a metro project, which will greatly improve mobility in the city. It started operations in December 2023 (Arias, 2021;Quito, 2022). The metro will be integrated with the existing bus corridors.…”

“…Infrastructure requires an overhaul, particularly road surface and stations. A projected BRT line in the north (Trole Norte) was indefinitely postponed (Arias, 2021).…”

“…Implemented in 1995, it innovated with the use of trolleybuses, crisscrossing the historic downtown. It was later expanded to two additional corridors (Ecovía and Central Norte), using conventional buses (Hidalgo and Carrigan, 2011;Arias, 2021). Currently, Quito has three corridors, with a total length of 71.4 km and moving 745,000 passengers per day (Global BRT Database, 2023) (Figure 7).…”

Calidad del servicio y satisfacción del usuario del transporte público de la provincia de Tungurahua

“…De esta forma, el consumidor no solo evalúa el resultado o la calidad del servicio, sino también el proceso por el que pasó el servicio mismo (Cazorla, 2021). En otras palabras, el cliente no solo aprecia si el pedido llegó a tiempo al restaurante, sino también la forma de atención, responsabilidad y amabilidad del personal al momento de utilizar el servicio (Arias & Bachmann, 2021).…”

Using Combined Bus Rapid Transit and Buses in a Dedicated Bus Lane to Enhance Urban Transportation Sustainability

“…Therefore, the use of a bus-based public transit system has been in favor of both large and small cities [1,2]. However, under pre-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID- 19) conditions, the bus operations in most capital cities experienced considerable travel delays for passengers due to traffic controls, road congestion, bus activities near and at bus stops, etc. [3][4][5].…”