Guadalajara Macrobus
Encyclopedia
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
(BRT) system in Guadalajara
Guadalajara, Jalisco
Guadalajara is the capital of the Mexican state of Jalisco, and the seat of the municipality of Guadalajara. The city is located in the central region of Jalisco in the western-pacific area of Mexico. With a population of 1,564,514 it is Mexico's second most populous municipality...
, Jalisco
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
. The initiation of work on the system was announced by Jalisco Governor Emilio González Márquez
Emilio González Márquez
Emilio González Márquez is a Mexican politician affiliated to the National Action Party . He is the current Governor of Jalisco.-Political career:...
on February 29, 2008. The system was launched on March 11, 2009 by the Governor and Mexican President Felipe Calderón Hinojosa.
Lines
The initial line of the system runs 16 kilometers along Calzada Independencia and Gobernador Curiel with a total of 27 stations, including two terminals: Mirador and Fray Angelico. The line intersects the Guadalajara light rail system's Line 2 at San Juan de DiosSan Juan de Dios Market
Mercado Libertad, better known as Mercado San Juan de Dios is located in the city of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. It is one of the largest indoor markets in the country with an area of 4000 m²....
station.
The actual stations in Line 1 are: (from North to South) Mirador, Huentitán, Zoológico, Independencia Norte, San Patricio, Igualdad, Monumental, Monte Olivette, Circunvalación, Ciencias de la Salud, Juan Álvarez, Alameda, San Juan de Dios, Bicentenario, La Paz, Niños Héroes, Agua Azul, Ciprés, Héroes de Nacozari, Lázaro Cárdenas, El Deán, Zona Industrial, López de Legazpi, Clemente Orozco, Artes Plasticas, Escultura and Fray Angélico,
Additional lines are currently being planned and are scheduled to open in 2010, soon after the opening of Line 1. These include:
- Line 2 will run along Avenida Ávila Camacho and Calzada Revolución from Doctor Ángel Leaño in Zapopan to the new central bus terminal in TlaquepaqueTlaquepaqueTlaquepaque , historically San Pedro or Georgetown, is a city and the surrounding municipality in the Mexican state of Jalisco. During the 20th century it was absorbed by the outward spread of the state capital and is now a neighbourhood of the Guadalajara conurbation, lying only a few kilometres...
.
- Line 3 will run along Calzada del Obrero and Calzada Jesús González Gallo from Juan Pablo and Periferico to Glorieta El Álamo in Tlaquepaque. This line will eventually be extended to the Guadalajara International AirportDon Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International AirportGuadalajara International Airport , also known as Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport . It opened in 1966 and is located 16 km south of the city centre of Guadalajara. In 2010, the airport handled 6,953,900 passengers, representing a 7.8% increase from 2009...
in Tlajomulco.
Fleet
The Macrobus fleet consists of articulatedArticulated bus
An articulated bus is an articulated vehicle used in public transportation. It is usually a single-deck design, and comprises two rigid sections linked by a pivoting joint...
Volvo
Volvo
AB Volvo is a Swedish builder of commercial vehicles, including trucks, buses and construction equipment. Volvo also supplies marine and industrial drive systems, aerospace components and financial services...
buses, similar to those used by Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
's Metrobús
Mexico City Metrobús
Metrobús is a bus rapid transit system in Mexico City, Mexico. It comprises 3 lines that traverse the city and connect with other forms of transit. It was officially opened to the public with service along Line 1 on 19 June 2005...
BRT system. The initial segment of the first line operates with 41 such buses.
Impact and Ridership
As of February 2008, there were 130 bus routes running along Calzada Independencia and Gobernador Curiel, serviced by more than 2,000 buses. The goal of the BRT is to replace all non-BRT buses along the route. Many routes will be eliminated altogether and others altered so as to cross the BRT route and serve as feeder buses.It is expected that upon the initial route's launch, the BRT system will achieve a daily ridership of over 174,000 passengers.
Sources
- State of Jalisco Press Release, "Cuenta Jalisco con visión de movilidad urbana necesaria" (February 29, 2008)
- Héctor Padilla, "Aseguran que BRT moverá más pasajeros que el Tren Ligero y bajará la polución", El Mural (March 1, 2008)