Tangible Impacts: Travel Time, Cost, and Security

​

 

In order to have socioeconomic impact at scale, the Mi Teleférico system first has to do what it was created to do: provide efficient transportation to the citizens of La Paz and El Alto, thus ensuring access to previously isolated areas. In his research paper titled "Impacts of the Cable Car service on travel time, price, and safety in the cities of La Paz and El Alto – Bolivia," Economist Ruddy Cuqui measured the tangible effects of the Mi Teleférico system through an impact evaluation. 

 

In my interview with Cuqui, he explained the results of his research while expanding on certain aspects. To begin, he discussed the strongest proven benefit of the system: saving time. Throughout his research, he found that travel time reductions due to Mi Teleférico were statistically significant; specifically, on average, 29 minutes in commuting time can be saved every day by taking the cable car as opposed to another form of transportation. When questioned about his confidence in this result, he explained how this result had been independently confirmed by other research as well. 

​

Cuqui then explained that saving just half an hour every day gives commuters more time for work, family responsibilities, education, or leisure while also making cross-city travel more practical. This reduction in travel time actually creates hidden benefits for residents of La Paz and El Alto. 

​

Mi Teleférico is therefore beneficial from an efficiency standpoint. But what about cost and security? After discussing efficiency benefits, Cuqui explained his other results. Interestingly, his study concluded that the Mi Teleférico is not necessarily cheaper for the rider than alternate forms of transportation. Mi Teleférico costs are not statistically different from other costs. When questioned about this result, he explained how there could be a number of factors influencing this outcome. He also noted, however, that results may be different today because of fuel shortages and rising transportation costs in general, potentially making the Teleférico the more economically efficient option. 

​

Cuqui also described his result with regard to safety of the Mi Teléferico system compared to other modes of transportation. While his research did not find a statistically significant difference in perceptions of safety of Teléferico users versus nonusers, he recognized that many cable car users, especially women, do feel safer using that mode of transportation because of security measures including safety cameras and well-trained station workers. 

​

After discussing his results, we talked about other aspects that are important to understand about the cable car system. Cuqui described how a notable question to ask when researching the system is “who benefits the most?” He explained how results can be skewed because some people live close to stations, while others still live in relatively inaccessible regions. To create increased and equalized benefits, he supports the continued expansion of the system. 

​

Ultimately, Cuqui's research reinforces what many residents already experience every day: Mi Teleférico has fundamentally improved mobility across La Paz and El Alto by dramatically reducing travel times. At the same time, his work highlights that transportation systems cannot be evaluated based on speed alone. Questions about affordability, network coverage, integration with other transportation, and broader social impacts remain active areas of research. Still, Cuqui argued that Mi Teleférico's social benefits make it one of Bolivia's most significant public infrastructure investments.