Evaluation of the impact of Bus Rapid Transit on air pollution in Mexico City

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

2018

Subject Area

place - south america, place - urban, mode - bus rapid transit, policy - congestion, policy - environment, technology - emissions

Keywords

Bus Rapid Transit, Differences-in-differences, Environmental policy evaluation, Public transport, Urban air pollution

Abstract

Mexico City's bus rapid transit (BRT) network, Metrobus, was introduced in an attempt to reduce congestion, increase city transport efficiency and cut air polluting emissions. In June 2005, the first BRT line in the metropolitan area began service. We use the differences-in-differences technique to make the first quantitative assessment of the policy impact of a BRT system on air polluting emissions. The air pollutants considered are carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOX), particulate matter of less than 10 μm (PM10), and sulfur dioxide (SO2). The ex-post analysis uses real field data from air quality monitoring stations for periods before and after BRT implementation. Results show that BRT constitutes an effective environmental policy, reducing emissions of CO, NOX, and PM10.

Rights

Permission to publish the abstract has been given by Elsevier, copyright remains with them.

Comments

Transport Policy Home Page:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/0967070X

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