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

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  • Bel, Germà
  • Holst, Maximilian

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Bel, Germà & Holst, Maximilian, 2018. "Evaluation of the impact of Bus Rapid Transit on air pollution in Mexico City," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 209-220.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:trapol:v:63:y:2018:i:c:p:209-220
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2018.01.001
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    Cited by:

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    2. Davis, Lucas W., 2021. "Estimating the price elasticity of demand for subways: Evidence from Mexico," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    3. Wang, Junfeng & Xu, Xiaoya & Wang, Shimeng & He, Shutong & He, Pan, 2021. "Heterogeneous effects of COVID-19 lockdown measures on air quality in Northern China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(PA).
    4. Suman, Hemant K. & Bolia, Nomesh B., 2019. "Improvement in direct bus services through route planning," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 263-274.
    5. Sachit Mahajan & Ming-Kuang Chung & Jenny Martinez & Yris Olaya & Dirk Helbing & Ling-Jyh Chen, 2022. "Translating citizen-generated air quality data into evidence for shaping policy," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-18, December.
    6. Harbering, Marie & Schlüter, Jan, 2020. "Determinants of transport mode choice in metropolitan areas the case of the metropolitan area of the Valley of Mexico," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    7. Deng, Taotao & Wang, Dandan & Hu, Yukun & Liu, Shuang, 2020. "Did high-speed railway cause urban space expansion? ——Empirical evidence from China's prefecture-level cities," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    8. Chinnawat Hoonsiri & Siriluk Chiarakorn & Vasin Kiattikomol, 2021. "Using Combined Bus Rapid Transit and Buses in a Dedicated Bus Lane to Enhance Urban Transportation Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-18, March.
    9. Jose Alberto Lara-Pulido & Adan L. Martinez-Cruz, 2023. "Stated benefits of teleworking in Mexico City: a discrete choice experiment on office workers," Transportation, Springer, vol. 50(5), pages 1743-1807, October.
    10. Hwang, Hyeonjun & Lee, Myoung-jae, 2020. "A simple makeover can increase bus ridership: The story of Tayo bus," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 103-112.
    11. Chao Wang & Zhuoqun Sun & Zhirui Ye, 2020. "On-Road Bus Emission Comparison for Diverse Locations and Fuel Types in Real-World Operation Conditions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-14, February.
    12. Yue-Jun Zhang & Jing-Yue Liu, 2019. "Does carbon emissions trading affect the financial performance of high energy-consuming firms in China?," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 95(1), pages 91-111, January.
    13. Valeriia Budiakivska & Luca Casolaro, 2018. "Please in my back yard: the private and public benefits of a new tram line in Florence," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 1161, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    14. Yanez-Pagans, Patricia & Martinez, Daniel & Mitnik, Oscar A. & Scholl, Lynn & Vazquez, Antonia, 2018. "Urban Transport Systems in Latin America and the Caribbean: Challenges and Lessons Learned," IZA Discussion Papers 11812, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    15. Li, Yan & Chen, Zhenhua & Wang, Peng, 2020. "Impact of high-speed rail on urban economic efficiency in China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 220-231.
    16. Patricia Yañez-Pagans & Daniel Martinez & Oscar A. Mitnik & Lynn Scholl & Antonia Vazquez, 2019. "Urban transport systems in Latin America and the Caribbean: lessons and challenges," Latin American Economic Review, Springer;Centro de Investigaciòn y Docencia Económica (CIDE), vol. 28(1), pages 1-25, December.
    17. Tao Ge & Jinye Li & Cang Wang, 2023. "Econometric analysis of the impact of innovative city pilots on CO2 emissions in China," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(9), pages 9359-9386, September.
    18. Suchi Kapoor Malhotra & Howard White & Nina Ashley O. Dela Cruz & Ashrita Saran & John Eyers & Denny John & Ella Beveridge & Nina Blöndal, 2021. "Studies of the effectiveness of transport sector interventions in low‐ and middle‐income countries: An evidence and gap map," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(4), December.
    19. Laura M. Hartman & Kathleen M. Wooley & Ryan C. Tucker, 2024. "The case for buses: interdisciplinary ethical arguments in support of strong public transit," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 14(1), pages 180-192, March.
    20. Alberto Romero-Ania & Lourdes Rivero Gutiérrez & María Auxiliadora De Vicente Oliva, 2021. "Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis of Sustainable Urban Public Transport Systems," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(16), pages 1-30, August.
    21. Yongqing Nan & Qin Li & Jinxiang Yu & Haiya Cai & Qin Zhou, 2020. "Has the emissions intensity of industrial sulphur dioxide converged? New evidence from China’s prefectural cities with dynamic spatial panel models," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(6), pages 5337-5369, August.
    22. Sun, Chuanwang & Zhang, Wenyue & Fang, Xingming & Gao, Xiang & Xu, Meilian, 2019. "Urban public transport and air quality: Empirical study of China cities," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    23. Nicholas Rivers & Soodeh Saberian & Brandon Schaufele, 2020. "Public transit and air pollution: Evidence from Canadian transit strikes," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 53(2), pages 496-525, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Bus Rapid Transit; Differences-in-differences; Environmental policy evaluation; Public transport; Urban air pollution;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy
    • R41 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Transportation: Demand, Supply, and Congestion; Travel Time; Safety and Accidents; Transportation Noise
    • R48 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Government Pricing and Policy

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