Dar es Salaam's new rapid bus system won international acclaim – but it excludes the poor

Bus rapid transit systems (BRT) have become the fashionable solution to chronic traffic congestion and low quality public transport – endemic problems for many cities in developing countries. The number of BRTs is growing rapidly across the world: from 40 in 2007 to 170 in 2019 – and there are many more in the pipeline. BRT has several prominent advocates around the world, including the World Bank and NGOs such as the Institute for Transport and Development Policy (ITDP) and Embarq. They claim that the system combines the flexibility of bus transit with the speed, reliability and capacity of rail systems, at a fraction of the cost. It’s also regularly said that BRT fares can match those of pre-existing minibus operators, and that BRT buses cause less pollution. Such arguments fuel claims that BRT systems represent a “win-win” solution to public transport woes, benefiting the economy, the environment and the poor all at once. But there’s evidence to show that BRT proponents promise more than they can deliver, especially for society’s most vulnerable.