Informal and Semiformal Services in Latin America: An Overview of Public Transportation Reforms

The paper examines the integral role of semi-formal and informal transport services as viable and legitimate public transport options in Latin America. While the region is well-known as the “cradle of bus rapid transit,” the prevalence of semi-formal transport is often overlooked or scrutinized in a negative light. Based on the authors decades of experience as practitioners, using extensive literature review and six case studies, we critically analyze the advantages and disadvantages of bus reforms and alternative approaches such as mapping and use of technology.