Jaime Lerner, urban planning legend, to receive Leadership in Transport Award

Jaime Lerner, visionary urban planner from Brazil and pioneer of globally successful public transport ideas, is the winner of the first Leadership in Transport Award. He will be presented with the award at the annual summit of transport ministers from around the globe in Leipzig, Germany, on 26 May.

The Leadership in Transport Award was created by the International Transport Forum at the OECD, an intergovernmental organisation for the transport sector that comprises 52 member countries, to honour public figures that have, through exceptional vision and  leadership, made a lasting positive impact, resulting in major advances for transport.”

“There are very few people who fit this description as well as Jaime Lerner”,  said Jack Short, Secretary General of the International Transport Forum, announcing the decision in Paris on Monday. “In an extraordinary career spanning many decades, Jaime Lerner, through his ideas and work, has made a real difference in the lives of people: as an architect and legendary urban planner, as a mayor of the city of Curitiba, as governor of the State of Paraná, and not least as a teacher and visionary whose ideas have inspired so many others around the globe.”

Short added: “While his achievements reach far beyond the confines of transport, Jaime Lerner has made a particularly profound and lasting contribution in this area. His brainchild, the Curitiba Bus Rapid Transit system, was a path-breaking innovation in public transport.

“It has been emulated all over the world and has provided millions of people with access to affordable, efficient transport services – and the world that this can open up: better access to education, jobs, leisure activities, family and friends.

“Not least, it has helped our big cities to become more sustainable and liveable communities. By offering affordable alternatives to car travel, it has reduced congestion and improved air quality. The International Transport Forum is proud to award the first Leadership in Transport Award to Jaime Lerner for his truly outstanding achievements.”