Santa Cruz de la Sierra in Bolivia has experienced rapid demographic growth in the past twenty years, becoming the second largest city in the country. This growth has produced a significant extension of the city and an increase in transport demand. This paper presents an institutional, operational, and functional analysis of public transport in Santa Cruz, and proposals put forward to improve the situation. The proposal and recommendations include the creation of a municipal authority that concentrates all functions relative to public transport. This authority should have the resources and capabilities to develop a more effective regulation of the sector, through the concession of routes to operators. For the operators, it is considered essential that the organizational structure be modified to generate a greater level of professionalism. It was recommended that the existing professional associations be transformed into real companies, keeping the positive aspects of the existing set up. Finally, a network restructuring proposal is made that takes into consideration public transport demand and the urban structure of the city. The French title of the paper is: "Santa Cruz de la Sierra : système de transport public urbain, structure urbain et restruction du réseau".
Abstract