Expert Voices: María Fernanda Ortiz Carrascal (Transmilenio) - Who Pays What for Urban Mobility series (2/2)
Urban mobility systems across the Global South face a fundamental and often unresolved question: who pays for what, through which mechanisms, and with what long-term sustainability? Building on MobiliseYourCity’s latest publication Who Pays What for Urban Mobility? This Expert Voices series brings together leading practitioners and financiers to unpack the realities behind funding and financing urban mobility.
Rather than presenting financing as a purely technical issue, the series explores it as a strategic policy question, one that shapes accessibility, equity, and system performance over time. Each session combines insights from the publication with real-world experience from development finance institutions, consultants, and practitioners, addressing how cities can design coherent funding policies, mobilise resources, and structure sustainable investment pipelines.
Session 2/2: Institutional capacity to fund urban mobility
Financing urban mobility is not only about money but also about institutions capable of managing it. This session focuses on the often-overlooked dimension of institutional capacity: the governance structures, technical expertise, and organisational capabilities required to plan, fund, and operate complex mobility systems. Using Bogotá’s experience as a reference, the discussion will explore how strong institutions enable cities to design coherent funding strategies, manage subsidies, and deliver large-scale transport systems over time.
The session will also examine how institutional capacity shapes financial outcomes, from fare policy and subsidy management to contract structuring and system performance, highlighting the critical link between governance and financial sustainability.
Our guest speaker – María Fernanda Ortiz Carrascal (Transmilenio)
María Fernanda Ortiz Carrascal is the General Manager of TransMilenio, Bogotá’s integrated public transport system, serving millions of daily users. She is a civil engineer with over 15 years of experience in transport infrastructure and mobility projects across both the public and private sectors. She has played a key role in the planning and implementation of major projects such as Bogotá’s metro and the expansion of TransMilenio, including the deployment of one of the largest electric bus fleets in Latin America. Her experience spans policy, project development, and system management, providing a comprehensive perspective on how institutional capacity underpins sustainable urban mobility systems.