November 2023 Saw Decline in Public Transportation Use

Without considering microtransit services (like vans or minibuses), the number of passengers using public transportation in the country’s main cities decreased significantly in November 2023. According to INEGI’s Statistics for Passenger Urban Transportation (ETUP), Pachuca stood out with a 10.3% decrease, followed by Mexico City’s metropolitan area (ZMVM) with a 7% decrease, Puebla with 6.8%, Chihuahua with 6.1%, Queretaro with 5.6% and Leon, Guanajuato with 4.8%. Finally, Guadalajara and Monterrey, Nuevo Leon experienced the lowest decreases with 4.2% and 1.6%, respectively. 

The distance covered by each city’s main transportation system also saw decreases during November 2023, being Guadalajara the city that registered the most significant decrease with 6.3%, followed by Pachuca with 5.5%, Leon with 3.9%, ZMVM with 3.6%, and Puebla with 3.3%. The remaining states reported decreases below 1.2%. 

Despite the overall decrease in passenger numbers, ZMVM stood out as the region with the largest passenger count, totaling 166.5 million during the specified period. This area also boasts the most extensive array of mobility options for passengers, encompassing nine distinct choices, including the Metro, Metrobús, Mexibús, cable cars, light rail, and trolleybus, among others. Notably, six of these alternatives are under the jurisdiction of the Mexico City government, while the remaining three belong to the State of Mexico.

Metro stood as the preferred option for the ZMVM’s inhabitants as it was used by 93.7 million people, accounting for 56% of the total public transport users. Metrobús moved over 36.8 million people, accounting for 22.1% of commuters. The Mexibús service, belonging to the State of Mexico, accounted for 5.6% of users, moving 9.3 million people. 

While the report does not provide information on the causes behind the drop in public transportation use, the main alternative reported is the private car, which is commonly referred to as an inefficient and highly polluting means of transportation. According to ONU-Habitat, the transportation sector is one of the main contributors to pollution in Mexican cities, accounting for 20.4% of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), of which 16.2% comes from the automotive subsector, primarily due to trips in motorized individual transport. “In certain metropolitan areas like ZMVM, emissions generated by vehicles represent up to 60% of the total pollution from coarse particulate matter,” reads the organization’s website. 

However, disincentivizing the use of cars presents several challenges for cities, given that only 56% of Mexican households have access to public transportation, as reported by MBN. 

Moreover, the promotion of public transportation use relies heavily on improving the efficiency of transportation systems. In this context, effective urban planning plays a pivotal role, as noted by Nohemí Muñoz. Director of Federal Auto Transport.