TRANSANTIAGO

Today's theme is TRANSANTIAGO.

"Transantiago" is the name of Santiago's public transport, it was created in 2005 and today it hasn't been completed. This new type of transport estrategy has a cooperation of Santiago's Subway. It's based on new routes, and also it has a new system, it's supposed to create less air pollution, wich I think it's a good and "greenfull" idea.

One of the most significant changes that came with the implementation of "Transantiago", was the BIP! Card; this is the new way to pay public transport and it works like this: you buy your BIP! card (for students it's called "Pase Escolar"), and you have to charge a minimun amount of money, for students $300 pesos, and for regular people $500, and the next step is just use it! In my opinion, I think it's an organized and a faster way of paying. Before "Transantiago" we used to pay with cash, so you had to wait for the busdriver to gave your change back, also you don't have to full your pockets or wallet with money just to pay public transport.

As you can see, all my comments at this moments have been good.. yes, I like Transantiago! It might be a controversial and crazy opinion, because most of the people doesn't like our actual way of transport.

Chilean people are used to criticize everything that's new. The first thing we do is look for all the bad things, but we never take the time to see the good aspects of an iniciative that's made for us.

I know we have to wait for more time (and even hours) to take the bus, i know the old busses were faster, and i know that many of them used to leave us out of our homes.

BUT, i also know this:

*Transantiago has allowed disable and handicapped people to use the bus. The old busses, used to have big steps and the access was very difficult, no weelchairs were allowed and there wasn't space for them.

* The old busses used to contaminate the air in a higher way than the new ones.

* Busdrivers have a fixed wage

* Old people and pregnant woman are being more respected, and there are special seats for them.

I could go on and write a long list of possitive and good points, but I guess I wrote more than 200 words.

And last but no least: I'm a short person, so my legs are also short and little, and to be honest I don't have too many sport skills,whatever! When I was 10 years old, i was going to my grandmother's house and when it came the time to get off the bus, I was going down those big steps, and the busdriver didn't wait for me, and he started to drive so.. I fell down the stairs, i injured my knees and elbows trying to keep my body balance, but when I was on the floor, I looked like Spiderman and of course everyone was laughing at me!

In conclusion, i had a traumatic experience, so i rather prefer to use Transantiago, than the old, trashy and ugly busses.

Bye!