TRANSCARIBE S.A.
TRANSCARIBE S.A. operates the SITM, the integrated bus mass transit system for Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, serving the general public with 23 routes and subsidized fares for elderly, disabled, and student populations under municipal government oversight.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersCartagena de Indias, Colombia
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What TRANSCARIBE S.A. does
TRANSCARIBE S.A. is a government-owned public company (sociedad por acciones) established in 2003 and linked to the Distrito de Cartagena, Colombia. It operates the Sistema Integrado Transporte Masivo (SITM), the integrated mass transit system for the Distrito Turístico y Cultural de Cartagena de Indias. The company is responsible for the construction, implementation, and oversight of the SITM, while service delivery on the ground is executed through its concessionaire Sotramac. The system serves the general public of Cartagena through a multi-tier bus network consisting of four trunk routes, six pre-trunk routes, ten feeder routes, and three complementary routes, anchored by the Patio Portal hub/depot spanning over 59,308 square meters of green areas.
The underlying technology stack includes smart card-based fare collection powered by SondaPay, GPS fleet tracking, real-time camera monitoring (interior and exterior), passenger counting at doors, active driving assistance cameras with microsleep detection, passenger information panels, USB charging ports at seats, e-coating corrosion protection, and electric bus charging infrastructure at the Patio Taller facility. Vehicles are sourced with Euro VI environmental compliance. Digital citizen services include a balance inquiry portal, PQRSD complaint management, and tariff subsidy enrollment via Microsoft Forms.
Revenue is generated through pay-as-you-go smart card fares for the general public and government-subsidized tariffs for elderly (Adulto Mayor via Secretaría de Participación y Desarrollo), persons with disabilities (via DADIS), and students (via Secretaría de Educación). The external recharge network is operated through a partnership with Colcard. No revenue figures are publicly disclosed, and as a municipal entity, TRANSCARIBE does not raise private capital.
TRANSCARIBE S.A. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- TRANSCARIBE S.A.
- Legal name
- Transcaribe S.A.
- Website
- https://transcaribe.gov.co
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- TRANSCARIBE S.A. operates the SITM, the integrated bus mass transit system for Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, serving the general public with 23 routes and subsidized fares for elderly, disabled, and student populations under municipal government oversight.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where TRANSCARIBE S.A. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cartagena de Indias
- HQ country
- Colombia
- HQ region
- Latin America
Offices1 record
Markets served
TRANSCARIBE S.A. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Public Transportation Fares: Revenue generated from fare collection using smart card payment system. Users load value onto intelligent contactless cards at stations and external recharge points.
- Government Transportation Subsidies: Subsidized fares for specific populations including elderly, disabled, and students through government programs. Sistema Integrado Transporte Masivo operates with public funding and tariff subsidies.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Standard fare for general public |
| Subscription | Monthly | Subsidized fare for elderly (Adulto Mayor) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Subsidized fare for persons with disabilities |
| Subscription | Monthly | Subsidized fare for students |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
TRANSCARIBE S.A. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
TRANSCARIBE S.A. operates the Sistema Integrado Transporte Masivo (SITM), the official integrated bus-based mass transit system serving the District of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. The system delivers urban mobility through a four-tier route network (trunk, pre-trunk, feeder, and complementary routes) with smart contactless card fare collection, modern Euro VI and electric buses, and the 59,308 m² Patio Portal operations hub. Revenue comes from pay-as-you-go fares and government-subsidized tariffs for elderly, disabled, and student populations.
Product overview
TRANSCARIBE S.A. operates the SITM (Sistema Integrado Transporte Masivo) — an integrated bus-based mass transit system for Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. The system is structured around a multi-tier route hierarchy: four Trunk Routes (T100E, T101, T102, T103) form the high-capacity backbone, six Pre-trunk Routes (X101–X106) provide intermediate connectivity, ten Feeder Routes (A101–A117) cover first/last-mile needs, and three Complementary Routes (C001, C017, C018) fill coverage gaps. Supporting infrastructure includes the Patio Portal depot/hub (59,308 m² of green areas), the Red de Recarga Externa card-load network, and the FUDO vehicle scrapping program. Citizen-facing digital services include balance inquiry, PQRSD petition management, and tariff subsidy enrollment channels.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- SITM - Sistema Integrado Transporte Masivo Transcaribe The official integrated bus-based mass transit system for the District of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, providing organized urban mobility to the general public via a multi-tier route network and smart card payment.
- Rutas Alimentadoras (Feeder Routes) Ten bus routes (A101-A117) that link peripheral and suburban neighborhoods of Cartagena to the trunk mass transit corridors, serving as the first and last mile of the integrated system.
- Rutas Troncales (Trunk Routes) Four high-capacity trunk routes (T100E, T101-T103) that form the backbone of the SITM along the main corridors of Cartagena, using dedicated infrastructure and high-frequency service.
- Rutas Pretroncales (Pre-trunk Routes) Six intermediate pre-trunk routes (X101-X106) that connect feeder services to the trunk corridors, providing additional network coverage and transfer points.
- Rutas Complementarias (Complementary Routes) Three complementary routes (C001, C017, C018) that supplement the trunk, pre-trunk, and feeder services to fill coverage gaps across the city.
- Patio Portal SITM The central operations depot and passenger hub for the Transcaribe system, spanning more than 59,308 square meters of green zones and providing bus maintenance, boarding platforms, and administrative facilities.
- Red de Recarga Externa (External Recharge Network) Citywide network of partner-operated recharge points (with Colcard) where users can load value onto their Transcaribe smart contactless cards outside of stations.
- Tariff Subsidy Program (Adulto Mayor, Personas con Discapacidad, Estudiantes) Government-administered fare subsidy program offering reduced-cost transit rides to qualified elderly adults, persons with disabilities, and basic, secondary, and higher education students, with enrollment managed through dedicated district agencies.
Quantifiable outcome
- 59,308+ square meters of green areas at Patio Portal
Companies that use TRANSCARIBE S.A.
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
TRANSCARIBE S.A. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature9 records
TRANSCARIBE S.A. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- SotramaccoreSotramac is the concessionaire (concesionario) operating the SITM system under TRANSCARIBE's administration. They are responsible for fleet operations and service delivery, mentioned in environmental initiatives and FUDO committee sessions.
- PacaribeminorPacaribe is mentioned in joint environmental activities with TRANSCARIBE and Sotramac, including environmental education initiatives with community residents near the Patio Portal.
- TransambientalcoreTransambiental is a Fideicomitente (trust constituent) alongside TRANSCARIBE and Sotramac in the FUDO (desintegración y chatarrización) committee for scrapping of old public transport vehicles. They participate in committee decisions regarding vehicle scrapping processes.
- Distrito de CartagenacoreTRANSCARIBE is a public company (sociedad por acciones) linked to and funded by the Distrito de Cartagena. The district, through Mayor Dumek Turbay Paz, initiated the purchase of new buses for the system.
- ColcardminorColcard manages the external recharge point network (Red de Recarga Externa) for TRANSCARIBE smart cards, with points available throughout the city.
- Secretaría de Participación y DesarrollominorGovernment body handling enrollment for tariff subsidies for elderly adults (Adulto Mayor). They provide enrollment forms and manage the subsidy program.
- DADIS (Departamento Administrativo Distrital de Salud)minorDistrict health department managing enrollment for tariff subsidies for persons with disabilities. They provide enrollment forms and manage the subsidy program.
- Secretaría de EducaciónminorEducation secretary managing enrollment for tariff subsidies for students. They provide enrollment forms and manage the student subsidy program.
- Fundación Casa Rosada de la MujerminorWomen's foundation participating in joint environmental education activities with TRANSCARIBE, Pacaribe, and Sotramac near the Patio Portal.
- Junta de Acción Comunal del barrio La ProvidenciaminorCommunity action board of La Providencia neighborhood participating in joint environmental education activities near the Patio Portal.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
TRANSCARIBE S.A. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Metrolínea S.A. BRT operator in Bucaramanga, Colombia. Direct comparable as a government-linked sociedad por acciones operating trunk and feeder routes with smart-card payment in a mid-sized Colombian city.
- Metro Cali S.A. (MIO): Operates the MIO BRT system in Cali, Colombia. Comparable as another Colombian SITM-style mass transit operator with trunk/feeder/pre-trunk structure and government-owned sociedad por acciones governance.
- Metrobús (CDMX): Mexico City's BRT system. International direct peer operating bus-based mass transit with trunk corridors, prepaid smart-card access, and electric bus pilots in a major Latin American metropolis.
- TransMilenio S.A. Operates the BRT system in Bogotá, Colombia. Closest direct peer: same country, same BRT-based integrated mass transit (SITM-style) model, similar government mandate structure, multi-tier trunk/feeder route hierarchy, and smart-card fare collection.
- Megabús S.A. Public BRT operator serving Pereira and Dosquebradas in Colombia's coffee region. Direct peer given shared SITM-style business model, public-company ownership, and integrated trunk-feeder route design.
- Transcaribe (Caracas, Venezuela): Mass transit system in Caracas, Venezuela sharing the Transcaribe brand and BRT/trunk-feeder design. Direct peer by product category despite operating in a different country with different ownership structure.
- Transmetro S.A. Public BRT operator in Barranquilla, Colombia. Direct peer because it runs an analogous SITM with trunk and feeder routes, government-owned structure, and smart-card fare system in a mid-sized Caribbean Colombian city.
Regional players
- Red Metropolitana de Movilidad (Santiago): Integrated bus transit network for Santiago, Chile. Comparable as a Latin American urban bus mass transit system with multi-operator structure and smart-card fare integration, though operating under a different concession model.
Others
- Sonda S.A. Latin American IT services company whose SondaPay platform powers TRANSCARIBE's smart card fare collection and user portal. Adjacent ecosystem peer as the enabling technology vendor for transit fare integration across multiple Latin American transit systems.
Broad incumbents
- Curitiba URBS / Rede Integrada de Transporte: Public operator of the pioneering Curitiba BRT in Brazil. Comparable as a long-established municipal BRT authority with tube-station trunk/feeder design, smart-card payment, and broader urban mobility mandate.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
TRANSCARIBE S.A. social profiles
Digital presenceTRANSCARIBE S.A. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
TRANSCARIBE S.A. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
TRANSCARIBE S.A. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
TRANSCARIBE S.A. M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about TRANSCARIBE S.A.
What does TRANSCARIBE S.A. do?
TRANSCARIBE S.A. operates the Sistema Integrado Transporte Masivo (SITM), the official integrated bus-based mass transit system serving the District of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. The system delivers urban mobility through a four-tier route network (trunk, pre-trunk, feeder, and complementary routes) with smart contactless card fare collection, modern Euro VI and electric buses, and the 59,308 m² Patio Portal operations hub. Revenue comes from pay-as-you-go fares and government-subsidized tariffs for elderly, disabled, and student populations.
Is TRANSCARIBE S.A. a public or private company?
TRANSCARIBE S.A. is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was TRANSCARIBE S.A. founded?
TRANSCARIBE S.A. was founded in 2003. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is TRANSCARIBE S.A. based?
TRANSCARIBE S.A. is headquartered in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, in the Latin America region.
How does TRANSCARIBE S.A. make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Public Transportation Fares are the primary driver. The others are government Transportation Subsidies.
Who are TRANSCARIBE S.A.'s main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Metrolínea S.A., Metro Cali S.A. (MIO), Metrobús (CDMX), TransMilenio S.A., Megabús S.A., Transcaribe (Caracas, Venezuela) and Transmetro S.A.. Red Metropolitana de Movilidad (Santiago) is listed as a regional player. Sonda S.A. is listed as an others. Curitiba URBS / Rede Integrada de Transporte is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does TRANSCARIBE S.A. have an API?
No public API is recorded for TRANSCARIBE S.A..