Contrary to what many people thought Cali and the rest of the country, the mass transit system in the capital of Valle del Cauca, MIO, managed to overcome a series of obstacles that seemed insurmountable and began shooting.

Amid much criticism Integrated Western Mass (MIO) met last June 7 100 days of operation, with projected results.

According to its president, Luis Eduardo Barrera, in this period the MIO transported 5.3 million passengers in just six runners.

Only six months ago the system was about to collapse because of problems in the tender collection, but once solved and much of the fleet and built roads, decided to start the operation, although there are still no portals, workshops and parking areas.

For socialization system, Barrera authorized the start of the operation without cost to the user for more than two months, allowing the community to know closely the operation and learn to use it.

Unlike the Transmilenio system of Bogotá and Megabus Pereira, the MIO in Cali will have a 100% coverage for which will include a cable system to the sector of Siloam, which should start in the second half of this year .

Currently the operation has six main routes nine feeder routes, 47 articulated buses, 38 buses patterns similar to those feeders Transmilenio; 18 additional buses, which operate in areas where the roads prevent the entry of standards.

In the six corridors are in operation there are 41 trunks that facilitate the mobilization of personnel that goes to universities, colleges, hospitals and commercial establishments located along Fifth Avenue.

According to Barrera, the number of users has been growing every month. It started with a mobilization of 993,000 passengers in March, April amounted to 1.7 million in May reached 2 million and during the first seven days of June mobilized 491,000 passengers.

While the system is partnered by the owners of the buses and transport companies Cali, yet there are some small owners who failed to access one of the concessions and are conducting a series of protests to pressure Metrocali to allow them to enter operation to the new runners.

Barrera explained that what they should do is qualify to participate in the bidding that allows them to become partners of the MIO.

In the construction of the mass transit system have invested $ 692 billion, a figure that highlights $ 850 million that were intended to recover some stations destroyed during some protests.

In the second half of this year tenders for the construction of the Avenue of the Americas, the Glorieta Station, Core District of Aguablanca, Cali bridges over the river and Miocable open.

Barrera said the city of Cali changed after initiation of the operation of MIO, for holding that the community can be moved in less time and with greater convenience, since regular transport is at war cent and threatens to users.

While there are good reception system, many people prefer to mobilize public transportation, considering that the service is long overdue and is crowded.

MIO president believes that only from October operation will be regular, ie to enter the buses are needed, which will expand routes.

To read the original article, click here: The MIO has met expectations in Cali [in Spanish]