Oct 17, 2011

The BNDES has approved total financing of US$ 90 million for Scania Latin America Ltda, to the export of up to 454 buses made in Brazil to Colombia.

The vehicles will be earmarked for operators that provide public transport services for passengers and are part of the Integrated Public Transport System in Bogotá (SITP), called the TransMilenio system, which is undergoing expansion.

The TransMileno is ‘Rapid Bus Transit’ (BRT) system, built and managed by Bogotá City Council. It is a transport service for passengers on main and secondary bus lines.

For the main lines, a structure with exclusive corridors for buses was built; it is physically divided from regular traffic. The entire road transport system is managed by TransMilenio S.A.

Bogatá’s BRT is considered one of the most important in the world. Since its inauguration, in December 2000, users' travel time was reduced by 32% and pollutant emissions fell by 40%. Today, the system transports 1.7 million passengers per day.

Among the merits of the project financed by the BNDES is the opportunity for Brazilian manufacturers of bus chassis and bodies to consolidate a position in the South American market.

The project will also allow increased exports of maintenance services, direct and indirect creation of jobs and, in a long-term perspective, an increase in Brazil’s external competitiveness and its consolidation as an export platform for global companies in the sector.

In 2001, the BNDES provided support for the export of Brazilian buses in the first phase of the TransMilenio system.