Public transport must be accessible and also operationally sustainable. In many cities, fares have remained frozen for years, which has had a negative impact on service quality and the ability to invest in modernization. It is crucial that public transport is a tool for development and well-being, not a barrier for those who use it daily. With the growth of cities and the increasing complexity of mobility, it is urgent to transform transport systems to meet the needs of the population.
These crucial issues will be addressed at the sixteenth International Transport Congress to be held on May 8 and 9 at the Jaime Torres Bodet Cultural Center of IPN. The lack of efficient, fair, and sustainable mobility leads to problems such as congestion, pollution, and inequity in cities. Modernization is imperative, but it faces financial challenges, especially in terms of how to ensure the acquisition of new units by transporters.
It is necessary to implement public policies that prioritize safety, including adequate infrastructure, effective surveillance, and assistance protocols for victims of violence in transport. The renewal of the fleet is another essential aspect that many cities still have pending, not only to allocate exclusive spaces for women but to ensure safety and accessibility across all modes of transport.
Nicolás Rosales Pallares, President of the Mexican Association of Transport and Mobility, points out that public transport in Mexico faces significant challenges that require a comprehensive and collaborative approach among governments, transporters, and society. The age of much of the vehicles in service, their high pollutant emissions, and the deficiencies in safety represent an additional problem.
The transition to cleaner technologies, such as electromobility, also poses challenges that must be gradually addressed with supports and clear strategies to ensure their viability. The issue of fares is one of the most controversial matters, with key challenges such as gender equity, fleet renewal, and the establishment of fair and sustainable fares. In particular, the challenge of gender equity involves rethinking the design and operation of transport from a gender perspective to effectively address the harassment and violence that many women face in their daily commutes.
