The term bus rapid transit system (BRT system) has been applied to a wide range of bus, trolleybus, and electric bus systems. In 2012, the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) published a BRT Standard to make it easier to standardize and compare bus services.
The below list only includes BRT systems in South America that are in operation or under construction.
Legend Status (background color) White: Operational Light blue: Under construction City Primary city served by the buses and trolleybus. System name The English name of the bus rapid transit or overview article for city. Operator Operating the main bus services along its designated route. Began The year that the bus rapid transit began operating for passenger service. Stations Stations connected by transfers are counted as one station, unless otherwise note. Length (km) Track length; lines which share track are counted once or Corridor length; lines which sharing the same corridor are counted once. Notes/Description A short objective description and subjective of routes bus rapid transit ridership and passengers (daily). Type eBRT - Electric Bus Rapid Transit, using Trolleybuses or eBRT using Electric buses or other source. BRT certified ITDP standards-and-guides and bus-rapid-transit-standard year rewards.
Argentina
BRT systems in City System name Lines Began Stations Length Notes/Description Type BRT certified Buenos Aires Metrobús Juan B. Justo 31 May 2011 21 Bronze BRT certified (2013).https://www.itdp.org/library/standards-and-guides/the-bus-rapid-transit-standard/best-practices-2013/ Retrieved 2022-09-28 9 de Julio 24 July 2013 17 Silver BRT certified (2014). Sur 14 August 2013 37 Not BRT certified in 2014. 25 de Mayo 5 October 2015 0 Not BRT certified in 2022. San Martín 27 April 2016 12 Norte Etapa 2 24 November 2016 21 del Bajo 6 June 2017 25 Norte 17 June 2015 39 Vicente López Partido Quilmes 10 4 June 2019 12 La Matanza Partido 1 5 May 2017 17 Neuquén Neuquen Metrobus 9 February 2019 13 Rosario Rosario Metrobus Norte 30 June 2016 6 Santa Fe 1 3 May 2017 15 Tres de Febrero Partido Tres de Febrero Metrobus 1 6 October 2017 7 Posadas 1 1 April 2007 - - Not BRT certified in 2014. Córdoba Solo Bus Av. Sabattini 1 2014 9
Bolivia
BRT systems in City System name Operator Began Lines Stations Length Notes/Description Type BRT certified La Paz Municipal Transportation System (SETRAM) 24 February 2014 8 174 - Not BRT certified in 2022. El Alto (Sariri BRT) Integrated Municipal Transportation Service 3 March 2015 1 60 - Sariri BRT Santa Cruz de la Sierra - 13 May 2019 1 120 -
Brazil
In the following table, BRT systems in light blue are under construction.
BRT systems in City System name Operator Began Lines Stations Length Notes/Description Type BRT certified Criciúma Av. Centenírio Criciumense Urban Transport Association (ACTU) 1996 3 16 Not BRT certified in 2013. Curitiba Rede Integrada de Transporte Integrated Transport Network (RIT) 1974 6 21 6 Silver + 1 Gold BRT corridors certified (2013). Boqueirao - - - South Circular - - - East line - - - Green Line - - - North line - - - West line - - - South line - - - São Paulo São Mateus–Jabaquara Metropolitan Corridor ABD Metropolitan Corridor, ABD Headband and (Next Mobilidade) 3 December 1988 13 111 eBRT trolleybuses Bronze BRT corridors certified (2013). Expresso Tiradentes Expresso Tiradentes (Southeast Axis) and (SPTrans) 8 March 2007 2 10 Silver BRT corridors certified (2013). Diadema–Morumbi Metropolitan Corridor ABD Metropolitan Corridor, ABD Morumbi Extension (Metra) 30 July 2010 1 28 Basic BRT corridors certified (2014). Guarulhos–São Paulo Metropolitan Corridor Empresa Metropolitana de Transportes Urbanos de São Paulo (EMTU) and (Metra) 3 July 2013 12 22 Not BRT certified in 2015. Itapevi–Butantã Metropolitan Corridor March 2018 - 42 Not BRT certified in 2022. Corredor Metropolitano Noroeste 2010 1 30 Not BRT certified in 2013. BRT ABC Next Mobilidade 2023 3 19 eBRT electric buses Not BRT certified in 2024. São José dos Campos Linha Verde - 2022 1 13 eBRT electric buses Not BRT certified in 2022. Sorocaba BRT Sorocaba Urbes 30 August 2020 2 12 Rio de Janeiro TransOeste Rio de Janeiro BRT (MOBI-Rio) 6 June 2012 1 66 2 Gold +2 Silver BRT corridors certified (2013). TransCarioca 1 June 2014 1 46 2 Gold +2 Silver BRT corridors certified (2014). TransOlímpica 9 July 2016 1 21 2 Silver +2 Gold BRT corridors certified (2016). TransBrasil 24 February 2024 1 19 2 Silver +2 Gold BRT corridors certified (2024). Goiânia Governo do Estado de Goiás (Metrobus) 1976 6 19 Bronze BRT certified (2014). Governo do Estado de Goiás (RedeMob Consórcio) 2024 5 32 Not BRT certified in 2024. Porto Alegre Companhia Carris Porto-Alegrense Empresa Pública de Transporte e Circulação (EPTC) 8 March 2014 11 9 Basic + Bronze BRT corridors certified (2016). Belo Horizonte SETRA (municipal), SINTRAM (metropolitan) 8 March 2014 29 56 1 Silver + 1 Gold BRT corridor certified (2014). Linha - Antonio Carlos May 2014 1 24 Linha - Cristiano Machado 8 March 2014 1 9 Salvador, Bahia Salvador Municipal Public Passenger Bus Transportation Service (STCO) 1 October 2022 4 14 eBRT electric buses Not BRT certified in 2022. Campinas - 25 November 2022 7 17 Under construction from 2017 to 2020, it will have two main parallel lines Campo Grande and Ouro Verde and a secondary link Perimetral Feira de Santana BRT Feira Sistema (SMTT) Getúlio Vargas e João Durval 2020 2 16 Florianópolis Phoenix Consortium, COTISA, Florianópolis City Hall - - - Under construction Uberlândia Southeast Structural Corridor (Av. João Naves de Ávila) 8 September 1996 174 16 Silver BRT certified (2014). Belém Belém River, Nova Marambaia, Guamá River, Via Loc 2019 4 33 Not BRT certified in 2019. Uberaba BRT Vetor Vetor East-West 31 January 2015 2 10 Silver BRT certified (2016). Juiz de Fora Av. Barão do Rio Branco - 1982 1 8 Not BRT certified in 2013. Londrina CMTU Londrina 3 linha, Rua João Cândido and Rua Duque de Caxias and Winston Churchill. Companhia Municipal De Trânsito E Urbanização De Londrina (CMTU) 2010 3 29 Not BRT certified in 2013. Fortaleza ETUFOR (Fortaleza Urban Transport Company) Socicam 18 April 2015 2 15 Not BRT certified in 2015. Brasília Expresso DF Sul 2 April 2014 4 20 Bronze BRT certified (2014). Recife - 2014 2 44 Basic + Bronze BRT corridors certified (2016). Via Livre East/West 18 Via Livre North/South 26 Teresina SITT(Teresina Transport System) STRANS SETUT 2 July 2016 7 40 Not BRT certified in 2022. Maringá Mega BRT Morangueira - Kakogawa, Transporte Coletivo Cidade Canção (TCCC) 2018 13 11 Manaus Bus Leader, Bus Company São Pedro, Express Coroado, Eucatur Group, Global GNZ, Via Verde,Vega 14 December 2002 3 4 Not BRT certified in 2013. Natal, Rio Grande do Norte Av. Bernardo Vieira Sistema Integrado de Transportes 2008 1 8 Niterói Corredor Metropolitano Alameda São Boaventura 2 linha Niterói 2010 1 6 TransOceânica 2019 1 13 BRT certified (2024).
Chile
In the following table, BRT systems in light blue are under construction.
BRT systems in City System name Operator Began Lines Stations Length Notes/Description Type BRT certified Santiago Red Metropolitana de Movilidad STP Santiago S.A., Metro S.A., Tren Central 2007 5 29 Transantiago transit system is integrated between the electric Biotren and BioBus, based on dedicated bus rights-of-way. eBRT electric buses Bronze BRT certified (2014). Greece Avenue - Avenidas Las Industrias - Seirra Bella/Carmen - Pedro Aguirre Cerda - Exhibition/Bascunan Guerrero - Santa Rosa North - Santa Rosa South - Concepción Intermodal Transport Service SA 26 May 2006 3 46 Not BRT certified in 2014. 2026 2 - Red Concepción de Movilidadses eBRT electric buses
Colombia
BRT systems in City System name Operator Began Lines Stations Length Notes/Description Type BRT certified Bogotá TransMilenio Consorcio Express, Gmovil, BMO Sur, Connexion Móvil, Somos K, SI18, Somos Bogotá Usme 4 December 2000 12 143 Bogotá's segregated, four-lane TransMilenio system has a maximum peak-load capacity of 45,000 passengers per hour per direction (pphpd) on its busiest line.Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, Appendix 1 System Comparisons, BRT Planning Guide The system uses modular median stations that serve both directions and enable prepaid, multiple-door, level boarding. The average stop time is 24 seconds. Trunk-line terminals have integrated bicycle parking; the fare card opens a gate to a secure bicycle parking area. Two lanes in each direction permit "Quickways" (local service on the inside lane combined with express service, skipping four or five stations at a time).FTA_ Commissioned report, Advanced Network Planning for Bus Rapid Transit The Quickway Model as a Modal Alternative to "Light Rail Lite" TransMilenio was described as a "model BRT system" in the National Bus Rapid Transit Institute's May 2006 report. It serves Bogotá with high-capacity, articulated, three-door buses. Bi-articulated buses are used on the busiest routes, and a smart card system is used for fare collection. Despite its large capacity, Transmilenio had problems with overcrowding."Applicability of Bogotá's TransMilenio BRT System to the United States" NBRTI (May 2006). Retrieved 15 March 2010. 2 Silver + 5 Gold BRT corridors certified (2013). TransMilenio - Autonorte 2 February 2002 1 - Silver BRT certified (2013). TransMilenio - Suba 29 April 2006 1 - Gold BRT certified (2013). TransMilenio - Caracas - - - Silver BRT certified (2013). TransMilenio - Calle 80 17 December 2000 1 - Gold BRT certified (2013). TransMilenio - Americas 21 December 2003 1 3 TransMilenio - NQS 2005 1 - TransMilenio - El Dorado 2005 1 - Cali MIO Metro Cali S.A. 1 March 2009 9 77 Phase I completed; phase II under construction. Silver BRT certified (2013). Medellín Metroplús 22 December 2011 3 27 Line 2 opened 2013 Gold BRT certified (2013). Barranquilla Transmetro Transmetro S.A. 7 April 2010 2 18 Silver BRT certified (2013). Bucaramanga Metrolínea Metrolínea 22 December 2009 11 - Silver BRT certified (2016). Pereira Megabús - 21 August 2006 3 60 Silver BRT certified (2013). Cartagena Transcaribe TransCaribe SA 17 November 2015 5 16 Silver BRT certified (2016).
Ecuador
BRT systems in City System name Operator Began Lines Stations Length Notes/Description Type BRT certified Quito Metrobus-Q (Metropolitan Public Passenger Transport Company EPMTP Some private companies) Metrobus-Q - :es:Trolebús de Quito, Central-Norte and Ecovia 17 December 1995 3 124 The BRT system Trolleybuses in Quito operated by Compañía Trolebús Quito. Plans exist to convert the northernmost portion of the system to light rail. Ecovía and Metrobus diesel BRT lines have several subsystems: Trolebús (Corredor Trole), Ecovía (Corredor Ecovía), Metrobús (Corredor Central Norte), Corredor Sur Oriental and Corredor Sur Occidental. Trolebús electric trolley buses can also operate on gas. Except for local routes, all buses are articulated. eBRT trolleybuses Silver BRT certified (2013). Metrobus - Corredor sur occidental Empresa Metropolitana de Servicios y Administración del Transporte (EMSAT) 13 July 2001 - - eBRT trolleybuses Bronze BRT certified (2014). Metrobus - Corredor sur oriental - - - Guayaquil Metrovía Fundación de Transporte Masivo Urbano de Guayaquil - Troncal 1: Guasmo-Río Daule 30 July 2006 7 26 Bronze BRT certified (2013). Metrovia - Troncal 2: 16 February 2012 - - Metrovia - Troncal 3: Bastion-Centro 4 May 2008 - - Cuenca Sistema Integrado de Transporte (Línea 100, Línea 200) 2014 2 - - Not BRT certified in 2014. Loja - 18 November 2015 10 - Not BRT certified in 2015.
French Guiana
In the following table, BRT systems in light blue are under construction.
BRT systems in City System name Operator Began Lines Stations Length Notes/Description Type BRT certified Cayenne Cayenne BRT - - - - -
Peru