Chile driving forward with more electric bus corridors

The Chilean cities of Rancagua (O’Higgins region) and Talca (Maule) will be the next to benefit from the government’s push towards electromobility in public transport. 

The transport ministry (MTT) said it will implement electric bus corridors in both of the cities in central Chile.

The bidding documents for the two projects are being reviewed by the country’s comptroller and the expectation is that the corridors will start operations in 2022, MTT said in two separate press releases.

The Rancagua corridor will have 20 electric buses, while that in Talca will have 11.

According to acting transport and communications minister José Luis Domínguez, next year will also see the start of operations of similar corridors in Antofagasta, Concepción, Temuco, Valparaíso and Puerto Montt.

MTT launched a sustainable public transport strategy last week, although it admitted that it will be difficult to reverse the trend of people abandoning public transport in favor of using private vehicles due to fear of COVID-19.