Transmilenio: Crisis in an Award-Winning Bus Rapid Transit System?

The case describes the service system design of Transmilenio, Bogotá's award-winning mass transit system, in the context of violent riots that erupted on March 9, 2012. From the inception of operations in December 2000, Transmilenio, designed as a bus rapid transit system (BRT), was perceived as a success story. While initially complementing the traditional multi-actor bus system on a few routes, Transmilenio is expected to become Bogotá's dominant mass transportation system in the future. Despite a successful record, on March 9, 2012, a fierce protest against the Transmilenio system shocked the city of Bogotá. This protest turned into violent actions of unprecedented magnitude in several parts of the city, causing approximately US$500,000 in damages, 11 injured and dozens arrested. In the afternoon of March 9, 2012, Mateo Rodríguez, a Transmilenio's member of the board of director, was cited to an extraordinary board meeting in the next morning. It would have the main objectives of analyzing the recent events and making the decisions that Transmilenio was demanding at that moment, to face the riots. Preparing the meeting and set a position imply for Mr. Rodriguez an in-depth analysis of Transmilenio system, Transmilenio SA, and also understand the nature of BRT systems and their expected paths to create value in a context such as Colombia. Whatever Mr. Rodríguez decides, his recommendations can affect not only the continuity of operations in the coming days but also the design of this award-winning service system.

• Service system design
• Supply chain management