Urban Experience: Costa Rican Public Transport
Academic project 2010
Over the years, Costa Rica has experienced a substancial growth in the private transport and an irregular and small growth of the public service fleet (also taking into account the recent reincorporation of the train service). The population continues to grow and the amount of personal vehicles will eventually lead to a total collapse of the road system.
Costa Rica is really particular since you can get to any place in the country by public transport (mainly bus), but understanding the non user-friendly/complex system has proven to be a hassle, to which many prefer using their personal means of transportation.
This project aims at clearing up and simplifying many of the issues that the regular and non regular users encounter.
Main issues are adressed as following:
1. Public transport will present itself as a unique system to the users, will be known as 'Transporte público costarricense' or TPC.
1. Public transport will present itself as a unique system to the users, will be known as 'Transporte público costarricense' or TPC.
a. All bus companies, taxi companies and train will be part of this network.
b. All transport will comply with the standardizing of signage, which will now be clear as to inform the user of the current location and final destination.
2. Road signage will show clearly where the stops are. Each stop will contain accurate information on its location, which bus/train routes come through.
3. Assistance through a call center / website / cellphone app, through which a desired route can be determined.
4. Provide a unique payment system, which proves to be safe for the user and the bus driver (doesn't waste time giving change back to the user)
In order for this project to work, it has been taken into account that different government departments (transport office, town hall, etc), bus company owners, taxi company owners and advertising companies (in charge of building the stops) have interests which also have to be met, besides the users interests.
The following images are storyboards of how the system works for the user.
