Chinese future bus

[Blamethrower]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DasakKlrXZ8

Hey guys, check this out.

An interesting concept of running trams that straddle the traffic. I can see a few problems of course, but in principle, seems interesting at least

 

[gordonthemoron]

this has been discussed on here before. The consensus was that it would have limited practical applications

 

[Blamethrower]

this has been discussed on here before. The consensus was that it would have limited practical applications

ah OK, hard to know what to search for on this one tbh, couldn't find owt, ah well

 

[Flying Snail]

Preposterous idea, equally unconvincing presentation.

Did remind me of that risible Australian tv programme "Beyond 2000".

 

[GatwickDepress]

It would look gosh darned cool in a film set in the future though.

 

[Blamethrower]

BBC yesterday showed that a prototype has been built.

My personal feeling is that it will work in the massively congested cities in China, but I can't see anyone from Europe buying it

 

[F Great Eastern]

No way motorists would stand for it, and as for people disembarking in the middle of the road?

 

[J-2739]

BBC yesterday showed that a prototype has been built.

My personal feeling is that it will work in the massively congested cities in China, but I can't see anyone from Europe buying it

Is there a link? Any photos!?

 

[Domh245]

Is there a link? Any photos!?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-36961433

I do wonder what the lights on it are for? I would presume they act as standard traffic signals and are there to permit cars to travel underneath the bus?

Also, it apparently runs on tracks, in which case TET (transport elevated tram) might be a more suitable name!

 

[J-2739]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-36961433

I do wonder what the lights on it are for? I would presume they act as standard traffic signals and are there to permit cars to travel underneath the bus?

Also, it apparently runs on tracks, in which case TET (transport elevated tram) might be a more suitable name!

That's exiting ! At first, I thought it was another 'fairy-tale' fantasy, but once again, China has managed to amaze our own eyes!

It looks rather different to the CGI, but did we really expect it to bend cars?

I can see this springing up in many cities: New York; Sydney; Hong Kong; London (no, maybe not!)

And I agree, TET sounds way better than TEB!

(I assume the lights are for lower cars that can't see the traffic lights because the bus/tram is blocking them)

 

[MarkyT]

Looks like the weight rests on rubber tyres but the bogies have wide double-flanged guide wheels fore and aft that run in twin rail grooves either side of the each concrete tyre track to effect steering. Here's a video showing the rubber tyred wheels and guidance system.

https://youtu.be/lPdl3uxW3aI?t=15s

I expect points will be complex and I wonder how this system will behave at high speed. There's no conicity to gently guide and centre the vehicle without flange contact. God forbid that one of these monsters lost tracking and careered across a carriageway then plunged off a flyover.

BBC quote the maker claiming the system is one fifth the cost of builldng subways, neglecting to include that you need an urban freeway type road design to run it along that in itself is then hobbled by the limited road height so probably can't accomodate anything but the smallest delivery vans. Why not just build high capacity surface tramways and avoid the freeway look altogether? I suppose the super rich entrepreneurs and senior party members need some road space to speed around feeling important.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transit_Elevated_Bus

 

[jon0844]

Something for our new London mayor to take an interest in? This would definitely beat Boris!

 

[jopsuk]

it's utterly barking- only possible on wide roads (need to still have clear lanes for vehicles that can't fit underneath) and the elevated platforms require quite a footprint by the side of the road for access

 

[gordonthemoron]

I can't see it happening in Hong Kong as the place is full of double deck buses

 

[J-2739]

I can't see it happening in Hong Kong as the place is full of double deck buses

Yeah, along with London as I already hinted (full of double decker buses).
I see this project as a great crowd buster in cities where single decker's are more common (or live in bendy bus territory).

 

[PeterC]

Looking at the video there isn't enough clearance for anything other than a standard saloon / hatchback to pass underneath. I assume that the bus will have detectors to stop it trying to overtake anything too high but it wouldn't be long before somebody tried to take a van or large MPV underneath.

When the bus stops anything that is too tall to pass underneath will have to stop too. It will only take a couple of vans or lorries to hold up a major road.

I am still waiting to see how they engineer intersections on roads where this runs.

I love the idea of utilising the air space over a major road without introducing bulky gantries for some form of high level railway but if this works at all it will be a niche solution for a very limited number of locations.

 

[Dent]

Looking at the video there isn't enough clearance for anything other than a standard saloon / hatchback to pass underneath. I assume that the bus will have detectors to stop it trying to overtake anything too high but it wouldn't be long before somebody tried to take a van or large MPV underneath.

When the bus stops anything that is too tall to pass underneath will have to stop too. It will only take a couple of vans or lorries to hold up a major road.

A number of points in the video show height restriction gantries on the lanes this vehicle straddles, with higher vehicles being required to use other lanes.

I am still waiting to see how they engineer intersections on roads where this runs.

As long as the track is set into the road so it can be driven over, I don't see any difference to any other junction controlled by traffic lights. The straddling bus would just have to move on a different traffic light phase to any flows crossing its track, hardly insurmountable.

I love the idea of utilising the air space over a major road without introducing bulky gantries for some form of high level railway but if this works at all it will be a niche solution for a very limited number of locations.

That is presumably all this is intended to be. If these is somewhere it would be suitable and worth the investment - which the developers have evidently concluded that there is - then what is the problem?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

and as for people disembarking in the middle of the road?

The only disembarking in the road that is shown is an emergency evacuation in when the straddling bus is blocked by an accident.

 

[edwin_m]

This will never work in a city like London because even discounting the issue of height, the streets are too narrow and too variable. It's possible it would work somewhere with wider, straighter and more consistent roads - Milton Keynes perhaps? However if raised in height for compatibility with all types of road vehicle it would mean all potential passengers having to ascend several floors to board and the reverse to alight. And if a Western city has wide enough roads to support this vehicle, then getting around by car is probably easy enough that hardly anyone uses public transport anyway.

Like the singularly unsuccessful concept of Personal Rapid Transit, this is public transport as envisioned by car drivers.

 

[Harbornite]

A better idea would be to build segregated roads for these buses, they could use steel wheels and rails to reduce friction. This would be a good mass-transit system, I wonder if we will see anything like this...

 

[HSTEd]

A better idea would be to build segregated roads for these buses, they could use steel wheels and rails to reduce friction. This would be a good mass-transit system, I wonder if we will see anything like this...

A breitspurbahn?

 

[J-2739]

A better idea would be to build segregated roads for these buses, they could use steel wheels and rails to reduce friction. This would be a good mass-transit system, I wonder if we will see anything like this...

If they did that, there would be no point of the body being raised. I suppose it could be customised as a wide body tram instead with no contact to public use road?

 

[Dent]

A better idea would be to build segregated roads for these buses, they could use steel wheels and rails to reduce friction. This would be a good mass-transit system, I wonder if we will see anything like this...

That would take up road space, so would reduce capacity for cars much more than this project would.

 

[Lrd]

I can't see it happening in Hong Kong as the place is full of double deck buses

Yeah, along with London as I already hinted (full of double decker buses).

Surely these would be replacing the double decker buses?

 

[Flying Snail]

Surely these would be replacing the double decker buses?

You mean the double deckers that run down narrow back streets and take hundreds of tight turns?

And what about commercial vehicles? Should distribution companies switch from using one artic to 50 Ford Focus vans so as to fit underneath a preposterous straddle bus?

This idea is beyond daft, discussing it as if it could ever be a reality beyond a road specifically designed for this stupid solution is equally daft.

Quite apart from the stupidity of the idea, the ethos behind it of leaving roads clear for ever more private cars is unsustainable and flawed. The correct solution here is to cut 1 or 2 lanes off from car traffic and install a dedicated public transport corridor, be it a segregated busway or light rail line.

Modern China is basically elitist greed overlaid on a fascist state, the growing middle and upper class nuveau riche want to be able to drive their blinged up imported cars so the plebs need to be gotten out of the way, it's all very Thatcherite.

 

[Harbornite]

That would take up road space, so would reduce capacity for cars much more than this project would.

My post was tongue in cheek, you'll see that I'm basically recommending that they build a railway instead because this bus idea is unfeasible.

 

[Dent]

My post was tongue in cheek, you'll see that I'm basically recommending that they build a railway instead because this bus idea is unfeasible.

I see that, my point was that your "better idea" misses the whole point of the proposal. A railway would take up land space, which is what this design aims to minimise.

 

[J-2739]

I see that, my point was that your "better idea" misses the whole point of the proposal. A railway would take up land space, which is what this design aims to minimise.

This goes to show that this bus/tram concept is only really meant for a few cities: the ones with wide roads, majority single decker buses and serious traffic congestion. Several Chinese and American cities spring to mind.

 

[gordonthemoron]

They could build a metro ontop of the road, like in Taiwan & Wuppertal

 

[sciisfun]

And what about commercial vehicles? Should distribution companies switch from using one artic to 50 Ford Focus vans so as to fit underneath a preposterous straddle bus?

more importantly, I wouldn't be able to put my kayak or surfboard on top of my car if these were in use, so It would have to be on a trailer, taking up more road space! and as my camper wouldn't fit I would have to take a caravan! that's two trailers already!

 

[Flying Snail]

more importantly, I wouldn't be able to put my kayak or surfboard on top of my car if these were in use, so It would have to be on a trailer, taking up more road space! and as my camper wouldn't fit I would have to take a caravan! that's two trailers already!

I didn't expect this to come crashing down quite so quickly but this article suggests the whole thing may be a scam to bilk investors.

http://shanghaiist.com/2016/08/08/straddling_bus_locked_up.php