China Has Done It Again : Traffic Straddling Bus

The 'traffic straddling bus' is now a reality in China and is set to start full commercial operations soon.  Please see my comments at the end.

   
The Chinese port city of Qinhuangdao was the location for the first test of an innovative new mode of public transport called the Transit Elevated Bus (TEB), a high-riding bus that can glide over gridlocked traffic.

According to China Xinhua News, the test was carried out on Tuesday, with engineers from TEBtech, the company developing the bus, evaluating the aerodynamics, braking system and power usage.

 

A few passengers were also allowed on the traffic-straddling bus, which is guided by rails built into existing roads. The top speed is 37 mph.

The TEB is approximately 26 feet long and 16 ft high and features a passenger compartment that is spacious and filled with natural light. It has the capacity to carry 300 passengers but potentially more as multiple TEBs can be linked.

Taller vehicles such as buses and trucks won’t be able to pass underneath but these are already restricted from the centers of many Chinese cities, where the TEB is designed to operate.
 

TEBtech is hopeful of having the bus ready for deployment by the end of the year. It’s already attracted the interest of transport departments from other countries including Brazil, France, India and Indonesia.

My comments : They seem to have done this with minimal disruption to the existing road system. Which means minimising the cost. Note that new "bus stand" in the picture. It really is a 'bus stand' - a simple platform raised up to the level of the 'straddle bus' with just a canopy for cover. It is simple, very cheap for the consumer  and it works. Every major city in the world will be looking at this seriously.