Tangible Impacts: 2019 Study Research Summary

Economist and researcher at the Universidad Privada de Bolivia, Mauricio Chumacero, has spent years measuring the tangible impacts of the Teleférico system. As the director of the Center for the Generation of Information and Statistics at UPB, Chumacero has led numerous impact evaluation studies. He and his team started following the cable car system with the opening of the red line in 2014 and eventually, in 2019, evaluated the entire network. In our interview, Chumacero discussed the results of his 2019 study. 

 

In agreement with Economist Cuqui, Chumacero mentioned that the clearest findings from his surveys were on travel time reductions. However, he repeatedly emphasized that throughout the survey, citizens voiced considerable appreciation for the certainty of the cable car system. They spoke of predictable trips, less waiting, guaranteed space, and continuous operation. Thus, the determination was that the Teleférico was both efficient and reliable. 

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When asked which groups primarily use the Teleférico, Chumacero had a nuanced response. He explained that because the network reaches from affluent southern neighborhoods, to the city center, to hill-side communities, to El Alto, it serves an incredible range of socioeconomic groups. However, he noted that higher income residents generally don’t rely on it daily. Instead, they often ride it recreationally or when it is far more convenient than the alternative. Meanwhile, daily commuting is dominated by people traveling for work and business, which is more often those of lower income groups. 

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He then noted that an unexpected benefit for riders, no matter the socio-economic group, was safety. Residents who live near stations reported improvements in lighting, surveillance, and security in the regions. Additionally, women from varying economic statuses reported feeling safer while using the Teleférico as compared to other forms of transportation because of lower risks of harassment, less exposure to theft, and fewer uncomfortable situations. Men also reported greater safety, although their emphasis was more on protection from theft. Chumacero noted that the gender difference did exist, but it was relatively subtle. 

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Chumacero also noted that his survey revealed the Teleférico expanded economic opportunity. He briefly discussed how the system is beneficial to workers, giving an example of a vendor travelling from El Alto to southern La Paz who previously needed around 2 hours for the trip and with the cable cars needs only 20 minutes. He also observed that online sellers (like people selling clothes through Facebook marketplace) can use the cable cars to deliver products much more efficiently. Rather than showing that Mi Teleférico creates jobs, Chumacero’s research suggests it expands the opportunities available to people already participating in the informal economy.

 

Chumacero then argued that although his study was conducted relatively recently, the results might be vastly different today considering fuel shortages and transportation disruptions. He explained that today’s riders would probably value not only travel time, but also the ability to move around the city reliably. 

 

Finally, he ended by noting how the system could be improved through further expansion to areas that continue to be isolated.