Lessons from Latin America in Transportation Part 1: Leveraging Informal Transportation to Improve Transportation Systems
While transportation systems in the United States and Latin America face different foundational challenges — there are also many parallels — both regions have valuable lessons to share with each other. In this three-part series, we’ll explore key themes that highlight the potential for learning and collaboration across borders, focusing on how the United States can draw inspiration from Latin America’s transportation solutions.
During my university years in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area, I relied on informal transportation daily. Why? It was simply the easiest way to commute. My options included buses, peseros, and combis — none of which were part of the formal transit system. These informal modes helped me navigate the city’s massive network, but the experience was far from perfect. I often didn’t know when transportation would arrive, the vehicles weren’t accessible to all users, and pricing was inconsistent. Despite these issues, informal transportation filled critical gaps, though the system left much room for improvement.
Informal transportation refers to transit systems that operate outside of government regulations and structured frameworks. These networks exist largely to meet the demand that formal systems fail to address, especially in underserved areas. In Mexico City, where 74.1% of all public transport trips are completed on colectivos, informal transit plays a vital role in urban mobility.
Many informal networks arose in response to the shortcomings of formal transportation: long wait times, inconvenient routes, or unaffordable fares. Informal systems, driven by competition, are highly responsive to shifting passenger demands. However, this flexibility has drawbacks, such as congestion along high-demand routes as drivers compete for passengers, which exacerbates traffic issues in a city like Mexico City.
A key lesson from informal transportation is its ability to adapt based on community needs. Unlike fixed-route systems, these networks can quickly respond to passenger demand, route inefficiencies, or infrastructure gaps. In the U.S., while informal transit isn’t as widespread, many transportation deserts still exist, and on-demand services are becoming more common. But are transportation agencies fully aware of what users need? Do users understand the services available to them? Too often, siloed services within agencies create unnecessary barriers to efficient service delivery. By placing users at the center, leveraging crowdsourced data, and mapping key routes, transportation agencies could better align services with actual commuter needs.
For instance, in Bolivia, the Trufi app integrates buses, microbuses, and informal taxis, allowing users to report missing routes and contribute data. Similarly, Mexico City’s Mapatón used crowdsourced data to map informal routes, generating valuable insights for urban planning.
While the U.S. may not need to formalize informal systems, there is a clear opportunity to improve existing services in transit-poor areas, making them more responsive to user’s needs.
In many cases, we try to solve complex transportation problems with grand, expensive solutions. While these have their place, the U.S. transportation landscape already offers numerous services tailored to different users. However, two major issues persist: 1) these services are often siloed, lacking integration, and 2) they fail to reach all users effectively.
To make transportation more adaptable and efficient, the integration of data and services is essential. This is not a simple task, but it is crucial. Additionally, communication with users must improve — many people do not fully understand their available transportation options.
What if cities put users at the center of transportation planning, leveraging their insights to map real commuting patterns? This approach could foster more inclusive, responsive systems, enhancing transportation equity and efficiency across underserved areas.
Stay tuned for Part 2: Designing Transportation Systems with Gender in Mind — Latin America has been making strides in addressing gender-specific transportation needs, creating networks to ensure mobility systems cater to all users. In this article, we’ll look at how U.S. cities can incorporate gender-responsive planning into their transit systems by drawing on Latin American initiatives. We’ll explore how gathering and applying gender-disaggregated data can lead to more inclusive systems and highlight Latin America’s leadership in this area.
