28 | Public-Private Partnerships in Urban Bus Systems
identify the most efficient solution. Some of these solutions may not necessarily be comprehensive; they may be complementary or first steps in the gradual process of a deeper systemwide reform. Understanding complementary or alternative solutions has particular benefits in a context where the requirements for a successful PPP are not present. Again, what follows is not an all-inclusive proposal; it is a brief description of examples to illustrate the existence of alternatives in three different areas and to keep the problem-solving process open to outside-the-box options.
SUPPORT PRIVATE SECTOR INITIATIVES TO PROMOTE USER-FRIENDLY TECHNOLOGIES Technologies that support informal public transportation providers in large cities are not new, but they have developed especially rapidly in the past few years across different systems (Mehndiratta and Rodriguez 2017). The literature suggests that these technologies have a positive impact on the quality, reliability, and transparency of overall transportation services (see, for example, Behrens, McCormick, and Mfinanga 2015; Eros et al. 2014; and Williams et al. 2015). Cell phone apps that allow users to review individual buses, bus companies, or bus lines in real time have been shown to improve punctuality, courtesy, and safety. Apps that allow users to pay for their bus fares via phone reduce uncertainty around tariffs. Moreover, these improved informal transportation services are often used by the poorest of the poor and thus play an important socioeconomic role. Private operators of conventional bus services in cities such as Manila, Mexico City, and Nairobi have mapped bus routes, allowing app developers to access the data and create tools that provide users with information about transportation services and schedules. Project planners may use these same apps to access high-quality information about the cities’ systems. In Nairobi, apps like Magic Bus help commuters use smartphone short message services (SMS) to pay for seats, while another allows them to rate the professionalism of drivers. These tools are also changing how providers function, especially as the costs of these technologies drop. Both in Africa and in Latin America, there are many cheap off-the-shelf solutions, ranging from simple automatic vehicle location services to more sophisticated fleet management systems. Incentivizing these demand-driven business-to-business initiatives opens three main areas of opportunity for public transportation authorities, which are outlined as follows.
Improve users’ experience Route mapping and crowdsourcing in real-time conditions help informal bus users know the best routes and choose highly rated services. They also may help reduce waiting times. Users can book trips and pay fares via SMS or phone apps, thus improving convenience and reducing the chances that drivers will charge different fares (and the chances that they will discriminate against certain users based on their appearance or gender). As an additional benefit, this technology helps bus owners forecast their routes and earnings. Apps that allow users to rate drivers help the market self-regulate, pushing out underperforming operators. Identifying the most dangerous drivers and the
