How many people does Curitiba's BRT carry daily compared to cost?

Curitiba's BRT system moves 1.5 million passengers per day on infrastructure that cost $3.2 million per kilometer. TransMilenio in Bogotá carries 2.4 million daily on a $5.8 million per kilometer build. Both exceed light-rail ridership at one-tenth the per-km capital cost of rail alternatives.

What is the cost difference between BRT, light rail, and heavy rail per mile?

Bus Rapid Transit runs $13-35 million per mile, light rail $80-180 million, and heavy rail $500-2,500 million. A BRT system is 10-20 times cheaper to build than heavy rail while delivering comparable daily ridership in dense corridors.

How does BRT ridership compare to other transit modes in the same city?

BRT outperforms light rail in most comparable cities. Curitiba carries 1.5M daily on BRT; similar-scale rail systems carry 500K-800K. The difference is dedicated lanes, frequency, and zero mixed traffic on the right-of-way.

Can BRT operate at rail-level volumes in US cities?

Yes, where the network is designed for it. BRT requires grade-separated lanes, level boarding, off-board fare payment, and signal priority. These features enable 30,000+ hourly capacity in each direction, matching light-rail volumes.

Why do US cities choose rail over BRT if BRT is cheaper?

Politics and perception. Rail feels permanent; BRT feels temporary. Cities seek federal matching funds (UMTA) that favor rail. Rail has more developed operating procedures. BRT requires aggressive street-space reallocation from cars, which faces neighborhood opposition.

The bus that beats the train. When BRT is the right answer.

Bus Rapid Transit, done right, carries rail-level ridership at roughly one-tenth the capital cost. Curitiba moves 1.5 million people a day on a system that cost $3 million per kilometer.

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