I'm not originally from here, but I remember coming to Santiago for a summer class I took a while ago, and I had the chance to "live" the "yellow buses" experience. I've been living in Santiago since 2009, and the new system was completed in February of 2007, so I was able to compare both systems. Considering that, what I've written below is based on my summer class period and my college life right now. I tend to like the new system, but I also pointed out the things I don't like. Even so, I still think that Transantiago is better than the public transportation we had before.
Pros:- You don't need money (cash/coins) to ride a bus because there's a new card that's called "BIP," which is safer for the driver (no mugging), and for the people who ride them often.
- In my opinion, it has decreased some acoustic contamination, even though the air pollution remains the same.
- There's more organization with the bus stops, so there's also less problems with traffic.
- Buses have the bus number you need if you go to a different part of Santiago, and on internet, you can also find maps and routes to orientate yourself better.
- If you need to take two buses, or a bus and the subway, you can pay only once if you're taking either of them right after the first one (with the BIP card).
Cons:
- Since there are specific bus stops, you can't ask the driver to leave you wherever you want.
- There's no money that you can pay with, therefore you can't bargain to ride the bus for less.
- Some of the seats are very uncomfortable because there isn't enough space left from one seat to another, and some of them are located way too high for people who have physical difficulties.
- Sometimes, buses don't pass by as often as they should, so it takes longer to get to places.
I think that it'd be a big and awesome change to install some sort of clocks that would tell us when the next bus is coming, and if it's worth waiting for, too. That way, we know exactly at what time we're getting to the place we need to go, and know right away if we're going to make it on time. I don't know how possible it'll be for these clocks to last here in Chile, though. We all know some people can easily destroy them.
I wanted to put in my homework that you can't ask the driver to leave you wherever you want, just like you, but I forgot
ResponderEliminarahh yes, now I saw you picture that you added.
ResponderEliminarI disagree with you in one of your cons. The one that tells that you can´t tell the driver to stop wherever you want, I think that increases traffic and a disorganization.
ResponderEliminarhi patty =) I think the idea of the clocks it's great. kisses! see ya!
ResponderEliminarpd: I was going to put the same picture that yours, but in last time I changed my mind xD jajaja
ResponderEliminarI liked the colour from the "yellow busses" xD nobody liked it, but it was a good colour, they had style :)
ResponderEliminarI think that should be a very stressful experience to come to Santiago and found this locomotion system so messy, with the yellow buses. I do not even want to imagine how it would be to come to the U in those terrifying buses.
ResponderEliminarGreetings Patty, see you in class!
Hi patty, I am very agree with your opinion, only one is that even you can ask to the driver for some place...i always do that...XD...see you in class
ResponderEliminarublicado por Patty en 13:23 1 comentarios
ResponderEliminarmiércoles 14 de abril de 2010
The good and bad things about Transantiago
I'm not originally from here, but I remember coming to Santiago for a summer class I took a while ago, and I had the chance to "live" the "yellow buses" experience. I've been living in Santiago since 2009, and the new system was completed in February of 2007, so I was able to compare both systems. Considering that, what I've written below is based on my summer class period and my college life right now. I tend to like the new system, but I also pointed out the things I don't like. Even so, I still think that Transantiago is better than the public transportation we had before.
Pros:
- You don't need money (cash/coins) to ride a bus because there's a new card that's called "BIP," which is safer for the driver (no mugging), and for the people who ride them often.
- In my opinion, it has decreased some acoustic contamination, even though the air pollution remains the same.
- There's more organization with the bus stops, so there's also less problems with traffic.
- Buses have the bus number you need if you go to a different part of Santiago, and on internet, you can also find maps and routes to orientate yourself better.
- If you need to take two buses, or a bus and the subway, you can pay only once if you're taking either of them right after the first one (with the BIP card).
Cons:
- Since there are specific bus stops, you can't ask the driver to leave you wherever you want.
- There's no money that you can pay with, therefore you can't bargain to ride the bus for less.
- Some of the seats are very uncomfortable because there isn't enough space left from one seat to another, and some of them are located way too high for people who have physical difficulties.
- Sometimes, buses don't pass by as often as they should, so it takes longer to get to places.
I think that it'd be a big and awesome change to install some sort of clocks that would tell us when the next bus is coming, and if it's worth waiting for, too. That way, we know exactly at what time we're getting to the place we need to go, and know right away if we're going to make it on time. I don't know how possible it'll be for these clocks to last here in Chile, though. We all know some people can easily destroy them.
Paty, try to link the points you mention more ok?
miss
p.s. you got a 6.2
Miss, I don't understand what you mean by that. Did you want me to explain more my points?
ResponderEliminar