Floor-to-ceiling turnstiles, a solution to major traffic jam problems at Transmilenio

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In the area of ​​Transmilenio, Bogotá's mass transit system, there are now more bars than usual. In addition to the usual turnstiles on the walls of train stations and those that separate the bus lane from that of private cars, in recent months such huge prison-like turnstiles have appeared, which cover the space from floor to ceiling in the train stations. Tickets, and which aim to combat payment evasion, one of the system's biggest problems. However, the remedy comes with difficulties: the new turnstiles hinder service users from entering and exiting stations and are already being injured by looting of trains.

The installation of the turnstiles began to be widespread in July 2023 – they were already in operation at Santa Lucía station, in the southeast of the city – and it is still continuing gradually. This generalization of new approaches has in turn revealed several problems. One is that they often don't flow properly; They get stuck and only work when the person makes a slight backward movement. This leads to another problem, namely the delay in entering or leaving the station and the resulting overloading of the stations. Additionally, they pose a problem when users carry luggage larger than a suitcase or backpack. Thus, the plan to combat illegal immigrants goes beyond the comfort of all citizens.

Fare evasion is one of Transmilenio's most serious problems. The sneakers take advantage of the absence of officials, damaged or ajar doors, priority access and, in general, any loophole that the already fragile system offers them in order to be able to use it without paying, even at risk to your physical health connected is integrity. In November 2023, Transmilenio reported that the percentage of users who sneaked into the system was 15.32%, a decrease of 13 percentage points compared to 28.51% in 2022. The figure is similar to 15.4%, which were registered in 2021. in front of the new turnstiles, according to a study by scientists from the universities of Los Andes and Del Norte.

Videos of how refugees bypass the new turnstile system have already been circulating on social networks. In one, a group of people can be seen climbing the metal structure to get through the small space between the turnstile and the roof of the station. In another case, while forcing the glass doors that serve as access for wheelchairs and strollers to remain open, several sneak in in a movement that lasts no more than 10 or 15 seconds. Another shows a woman who tried to crawl under one of those glass doors but got stuck at waist level and had to be helped by officers. The system itself mocked the ridiculousness, but later deleted the tweet in which it did so.

Sergio Montero, a professor of geography and planning at the University of Toronto, noted that the reasons for the bypass are varied. “Often not paying for a public transport ticket is a disagreement, either with the system or with the city,” he says. Erik Vergel-Tovar, professor at the Department of Architecture at the University of Los Andes, gives another reason: “The bypass on Transmilenio has to do with travel costs: 2,950 pesos ($0.75) versus 2,950 pesos ($0.75). the income level. Montero agrees: “Prices are rising and there is no special rate for those who find themselves in disadvantaged circumstances.” He even mentions the possibility that there are people who want to emulate the Passe Livre movement in Bogotá, who are for free public transport in Brazil is struggling. “It’s a mix of a lot of these things,” he says.

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Beyond the reasons for using the system without paying, there are numerous doubts about how tourniquets can solve a problem with so many roots. Montero, who lived in Bogotá until last June, does not consider them practical: “It is absurd to propose a physical bypass thing that hinders, inconveniences and delays all users of a system, so that leaks may possibly decrease.” In his opinion When installing the turnstiles, the inconveniences they cause are not taken into account: “If one were to make these calculations, the reduction in the number of throws would suddenly no longer be so relevant.” In addition, he believes that there is a loss in quality of the system can come as today's users use other means of transport tomorrow.

According to the Bogotá Cómo Vamos Citizen Survey, Transmilenio user satisfaction increased in 2023 (38.8%) compared to 2022 (29.7%). However, the level of dissatisfaction barely fell by less than a percentage point, from 40.6% in 2022 to 39.8% in 2023. According to the survey, the main reasons for dissatisfaction with the system are thefts, the crowding and delays in travel, the uncertainty in the frequencies and the costs. On the other hand, the percentage of satisfaction with civic culture on the road increased from 14.4% in 2022 to 17.4% in 2023, while dissatisfaction increased from 57.4% to 53.8%.

The new turnstiles impact system overload. Montero says: “If people have to wait for a bus during rush hour, there will be even more delays now that these turnstiles are installed.” But more than that, the installation reveals a “waste of resources” in the system, with inadequate security staffing placed at the stations. “If there is a security guard, you would expect him to be near the entrance to check people or deter people from breaking in.” But I saw these people in the spaces between cars, which is useless because it is neither useful to control the entrance nor if a theft occurs.”

With the new entrances, on the other hand, there are more officers near the station entrances, but they are there not so much to ensure that no one sneaks in, but rather to direct people whose passage is impeded by the turnstiles. Transport, that gives meaning to the idea that a system only needs to be regulated or explained because it doesn't work very well. Montero adds: “For me, the quickest strategy is to use the private security guards already hired to keep an eye on people who don't sneak in.” I'm surprised that despite the whole story about the accidents, the security guards keep the entrance don't notice. Apparently people sneak in because no one says anything.”

The scientist points out that malfunctions of the doors or the poor situation of those responsible for security indicate errors in the monitoring of the system. “Now the easiest solution is to apply a tourniquet. But someone might try to destroy it and since there is no one to supervise it, the broken turnstile will still be there and people will sneak in,” he added. What I saw as a possibility has become reality: Another social media video shows a group of people sneaking through the gap left by a bar ripped out of a turnstile. The system announced naturalization in a somewhat passive-aggressive tone.

Transmilenio's losses go beyond the leaks

From the perspective of the Mayor's Office of Bogotá and the Transmilenio Administration, the presence of leaks is the most frequently cited reason for explaining the system's budget deficit. In general, in addition to the evasion numbers, there is also the number that takes into account the financial losses caused by it. And it is not surprising that from time to time news appears in the media reporting an alleged risk of Transmilenio ceasing operations due to its economic losses. However, the economic problems of the system have more complex and less visible explanations than the evaders (which, according to Montero, is a never-ending issue: “Even if the service were spectacular, there will always be a minimum percentage of evaders.” € ).

In July 2023, the current mayor of Bogotá, Carlos Fernando Galán, on behalf of the Colados, rounded up the annual losses of the Bogotá transport system to 600,000 million pesos, a topic as media-friendly as it is outrageous for the citizen. This does not apply to the responsibility for the management of Transmilenio, given the huge deficit that the system presents. Research “Opacity in the Public-Private Partnership of Transmilenio” by Paola Andrea Torres at the University of Los Andes shows that it was not the leaks but the way the system's concession contracts were managed that created the day have ©fiscal deficit of the company.

The investigation concluded that changes in the system's public-private alliance contract made in 2003, 2010 and 2017 resulted in high profitability for the private sector but low savings for the public administration. For Torres, since the alliance began in 1999, a lack of transparency favoring the private sector has been agreed, which has prevented citizens and control authorities from monitoring the financial status of the system. According to the investigation, Transmilenio's financial deficit throughout its existence shows that “the system was not self-sustaining from the start” and that the above-mentioned contractual changes “significantly increased the deficit”.

Professor Montero notes: “Many people could say that it is being passed on to citizens to pay for a system that was designed in a way that later changed and that now has a deficit that is getting older. “ For this reason, he reiterates that it is necessary to include in the debate the need to restructure the financing of the system. And as for the responsibility for the financial crisis of the system, he assures: “You can neither blame the citizens who use Transmilenio nor the percentage that passes through, this is also the responsibility of the mayor's office and the way and Mayor Galán reported that the system's deficit is three billion pesos (about $750 million).

Ciudad Bolívar, an example for the rest of Bogotá

Professor Vergel believes that it is still too early to say whether the new Transmilenio hubs are effective or not. However, a precedent for this type of access in Bogotá is mentioned: the Ciudad Bolívar aerial cable. “There are no complaints from the community there. “The stations are in very good condition, the maintenance is impeccable, people have really embraced the system and it has turnstiles,” he says. What is the reason for this allocation of funds? Montero believes: “In these districts there is a feeling of belonging to this system, which is perceived as something that improves mobility.” On the contrary: according to the figures, at Transmilenio there are more dissatisfied people than satisfied people.

Another factor in favor of operating the aerial cable is that the residents of this area feel part of the system. Montero says there is a team of several people dedicated to speaking to the community so they empathize with him and love him. In addition, many members of this team live in the neighborhoods where cable is used the most, so it is no longer seen just as a means of transportation, but also as a place where neighbors, friends and family work. This, he explains, could be the reason why during the nationwide strike the cable stations remained intact, while many of the Transmilenio stations were burned and destroyed. This can also be the reason why there are hardly any evasive maneuvers.

Vergel sums up a sentence about Transmilenio: “The system was a victim of its own success.” Remember that at the beginning the service was very well received by citizens, many of whom even gave up cars and switched to buses . However, the current perception is negative, which may be related to the number of castings. In his opinion, to combat tax evasion it is necessary to implement carrot and stick measures: the first are those of a police nature that force people to change their behavior and the others, due to which, remember Bogotá was, more associated with civic culture were a reference around the world two decades ago, but are now lost.

To achieve this, he believes it is necessary to adopt the strategies of the two-time mayor of Bogotá, Antanas Mockus, who understood public shame as an element of coercion. “If there is control among users to expose those who do not follow the rules and we make people expose themselves to public shame, any strategy that takes this principle into account can be successful,” he assures . Aware that times are different, he does not believe that it is necessary to return to the same measures as two decades ago, but rather to keep the philosophy alive, for example by taking advantage of today's technological tools. But that's not the only thing: “We need to see how the system can start to develop systems that support the vulnerable population with differentiated costs.”

For his part, Montero not only emphasizes the need to improve the work of the security personnel already employed, but also considers it essential to ensure the proper functioning of the stations (e.g. the doors of the buses). the places where fugitives most often sneak in). But he believes it is necessary to understand the motivations of those who don't pay. “Is it a question of price that they want free public transport?” How do we ensure that young people pay less but pay? And not only them: there are also others who do not have access to the system.” In his opinion, the solution must take into account all these aspects, but also the idea that the new turnstiles are annoying, delaying and degrading a system that is on is not apparent at first glance, but has its roots in many of the problems that Bogotá still has problems to solve.

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