:: 166 cities worldwide adopt bus rapid transit – a key tipping point
:: EMBARQ Andino helps shape Arequipa’s transport future
:: EMBARQ Brazil guides cities developing urban mobility plans
:: Bus route reorganization in Bangalore is game-changer for India
:: Government of Mexico introduces first-ever fuel efficiency standard in Latin America for light duty vehicles
:: A pedestrian Historic District in Istanbul: Are we better off?

More news at EMBARQ.org

166 cities worldwide adopt bus rapid transit – a key tipping point

The number of cities with Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems has increased from 45 to 166 since EMBARQ’s founding in 2002. The EMBARQ Network helped scale up BRT systems worldwide in an effort to combat the major challenges of rapid urbanization, motorization, and climate change. This dedication to providing technical assistance, influencing policy, strengthening partnerships, and building critical knowledge and capacity that helped BRT reach this crucial tipping point was recently honored as a 2013 WRI Top Outcome – one of the greatest external impacts the organization has had this year. (read more)

EMBARQ Andino helps shape Arequipa’s transport future

Arequipa, Peru has been pursuing the idea of a modern integrated transport system for several years. The city’s first proposed solution was a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project launched in 2007 originally called “Mistibus,” in honor of one of the volcanoes near the city, which was later renamed “Arequipa bus.” Today, Arequipa is changing course in response to transportation technologies being implemented in other parts of the world – electric rails. EMBARQ Andino is helping shape the future of Arequipa’s public transport by providing research and technical guidance to two major players behind a proposed monorail project – the Peruvian Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) and the Provincial Municipality of Arequipa. (read more)

EMBARQ Brazil guides cities developing urban mobility plans

The Brazilian Ministry of Cities invited EMBARQ Brazil to play a key role in an initiative to help all Brazilian cities with over 20,000 inhabitants establish urban mobility plans by 2015, an effort that is expected to directly impact 200 of Brazil’s largest cities. The “Seminars to Raise Awareness for Urban Mobility Plans and Policies” are trainings to deploy Brazil’s National Policy on Urban Mobility, which will provide technical expertise to cities for designing and implementing their plans. EMBARQ Brazil’s commitment kicked off on October 15 in the city of Campinas with the first training seminar. Daniela Facchini, EMBARQ Brazil’s Director of Projects and Operations, spoke at the event and outlined a framework for the success of urban mobility plans in Brazil: popular participation, geo-referencing, and long-term planning. (read more)

Bus route reorganization in Bangalore is game-changer for India

On September 16, 2013, the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) launched a pilot corridor of "BigTrunk" routes as the first of two major reforms that will expand the Bangalore Intra-city Grid Bus Network, also known as the "Big Bus Network." These reforms mark the first successful bus route reorganization in a major Indian city, and a necessary step to ensure public buses remain a viable and competitive alternative to private transport. BMTC is the sole provider of public bus transport in Bangalore, the third largest city in India with a population of 8.5 million people, and these reforms are expected to positively impact an estimated 2.5 million passengers by 2016. The EMBARQ India team was a key player in the conception and implementation of Bangalore's bus route reforms. (read more)

Government of Mexico introduces first-ever fuel efficiency standard in Latin America for light duty vehicles

In June 2013 the Government of Mexico introduced a new fuel efficiency standard for light duty vehicles in the country, marking the first fuel efficiency standard in Latin America. EMBARQ Mexico was instrumental in the development and implementation of the new standard, which is expected to reduce CO2 emissions and improve public health. Mexico's new fuel efficiency standard was recently honored as a 2013 Top Outcome of the World Resources Institute (WRI) - a global research organization spanning 50 countries that works to turn big ideas into action to sustain our natural resources and the parent institute of EMBARQ, its sustainable urban transport and urban planning program. (read more)

A pedestrian Historic District in Istanbul: Are we better off?

Last month the EMBARQ Turkey team conducted surveys for its upcoming comprehensive assessment report of the pedestrianization project in Istanbul’s Historic Peninsula, a United Nations World Heritage Site where over 250 streets have been converted from car-dominated roads to people-oriented spaces since 2011. The surveys aimed to compile public opinions and perceptions of the project from three key user groups for the first time: local businesses, Istanbul residents, and university students. EMBARQ Turkey played a key role in conceptualizing and catalyzing the pedestrianization project, and its assessment report will be published in December 2013. The report will assess on the ground impacts of pedestrianization and provide vital information collected directly from community members to other municipalities in Istanbul and across Turkey who are planning to pedestrianize their own streets. (read more)

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