Giant elevated bus test vehicle built and tested in China

[K. A. Pital]

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

People look at the Transit Elevated Bus TEB-1 run past vehicles as they conducted a test run in Qinhuangdao, north China"s Hebei Province
Image caption

Your eyes are not playing tricks on you, this 2m-high 'straddling bus' is exactly what it looks like
It may look like something from the future, but China's long-awaited "straddling bus" ran its inaugural test in Hebei province this week.
The 2m-high Transit Elevated Bus (TEB) straddles the cars below, allowing them to pass through.
Powered by electricity, the bus is able to carry up to 300 passengers in its 72ft (21m) long and 25ft wide body.
A video of a mini-model of the vehicle caused great excitement when it was released in May.

People try the Transit Elevated Bus TEB-1 as they conduct a test run after it was unveiled in Qinhuangdao, north China's Hebei Province
Image caption

"There's enough space on this for old ladies to have a dance performance," said one user on Weibo
People stand on a platform as the Transit Elevated Bus TEB-1 conducting a test run after it unveiled in Qinhuangdao, north China's Hebei Province.

Image caption
One TEB could replace 40 conventional buses, according to the firm behind it

The trial run was conducted on a 300m-long controlled track in the north-eastern city of Qinhuangdao.
The vehicle is expected to reach speeds of up to 60km per hour, running on rails laid along ordinary roads. Up to four TEBs can be linked together.
"The biggest advantage is that the bus will save lots of road space," the project's chief engineer, Song Youzhou, told state-media agency Xinhua earlier this year.
"The TEB has the same functions as the subway, while its cost of construction is less than one fifth of the subway," another engineer Bai Zhiming told news outlet CCTV.
One TEB could replace 40 conventional buses, according to the firm. However, it is unclear when the vehicle will be widely used in Chinese cities.

A woman pushes a bicycle looks at the Transit Elevated Bus TEB-1 conduct a test run after it unveiled in Qinhuangdao, north China's Hebei Province

Image caption
Look no further, the future has arrived

It is not a new idea, but it was not seriously considered until a mini-model of it was launched at the 19th China Beijing International High-Tech Expo in May.

A month later, developers announced that the TEB would be ready for a test-run in August.
Thousands took to micro-blogging site Weibo to express their amazement and incredulity.
"I saw images of this not long ago and now it's actually happening?" asked one user. "This is truly build at 'Chinese speed'".
"I swear I just saw ideas of this in pictures. Now it's appeared in real life," said another.

This is kind of crazy and cool at the same time. Such a concept could really alleviate congestion by introducing a more spacious alternative to trams / trolleybuses.

Awesome!

[AMX]

I've seen concept art of this, but I always assumed it was an April fools joke.
This thing combines the drawbacks of road vehicles and elevated rail.

[K. A. Pital]

It also combines some of the advantages of trams with advantages of road transport (cars/buses).

[Sidewinder]

I'm skeptical whether or not it's practical for this vehicle to share the road with other road cars- including vans, pickup trucks with oversized cargo, etc. The TEB's height will surely force the government to prevent tall vehicles (conventional buses, tractor-trailers, etc.) from sharing the road with it. And while the engineer claims, "The TEB has the same functions as the subway, while its cost of construction is less than one fifth of the subway," he/she doesn't mention the OPERATING COSTS, which may eat up any potential savings.

Let's wait until the trial period ends, before we open the champagne bottles.

[Elheru Aran]

My guess is that it'll mostly only use highways with more than two lanes, and/or work in urban areas where frequently large trucks aren't permitted anyway. A multi lane highway would allow large vehicles to go around it. And presumably the idea is that it'll *replace* conventional buses...

It's an interesting concept and I'm a bit surprised they actually made it, but it's got potential.

[Simon_Jester]

On a roadway very carefully designed for it this might make sense, but honestly I'm not seeing the point of making it so cars can drive through/under it. Why not just take the same bus, build it lower to the ground, and not let cars go through it? It's going to be very dangerous driving your car through/under this "straddle bus" or whatever we call it. And you could never safely operate it on normal roads in medium or heavy traffic, because it's multiple lanes wide. What happens if you have to change lanes? What about turn lanes? What if you try to make a turn or lane change while there's a car 'under' the vehicle?

It'd be safer to just not bother with the ability to drive a car through the large bus.

[K. A. Pital]

It is not practical for this vehicle to share the road with oversized cargo-carrying trucks. But then, such trucks should not operate on the elevated bus lanes in the first place? Most newly built Chinese cities have 4-6 lane artery roads with a dedicated bus lane, but this bus lane gets occupied by impatient car drivers.

With an elevated bus, "occupying" risk is reduced and traffic jam risk is also reduced as the bus can just move over the jam.

All in all, I like the concept and it is impressive that a physical prototype got built. Rarely a novel solution gets anywhere off the drawing board in our days.

Changing lanes is not an issue if there are just two lanes and bus covers them. If there is more lanes, caution is advised. But caution is anyway advised as lanes can be occupied by other transport just as well! You never change lanes without looking to the side and behind, to avoid a deadly blind zone collision.

[Elheru Aran]

Well I'm seeing what appear to be traffic lights built into the struts of the bus. I suspect it'll turn the lights on and off as required for lane changes and exiting, and if you're underneath the bus when the lights change, you're expected to get the hell out.

[AMX]

It is not practical for this vehicle to share the road with oversized cargo-carrying trucks. But then, such trucks should not operate on the elevated bus lanes in the first place? Most newly built Chinese cities have 4-6 lane artery roads with a dedicated bus lane, but this bus lane gets occupied by impatient car drivers.

With an elevated bus, "occupying" risk is reduced and traffic jam risk is also reduced as the bus can just move over the jam.

All in all, I like the concept and it is impressive that a physical prototype got built. Rarely a novel solution gets anywhere off the drawing board in our days.

Changing lanes is not an issue if there are just two lanes and bus covers them. If there is more lanes, caution is advised. But caution is anyway advised as lanes can be occupied by other transport just as well! You never change lanes without looking to the side and behind, to avoid a deadly blind zone collision.

It still conflicts quite badly with other road traffic.

And since it requires rails anyway, why don't they just raise the damn rails so the thing can move independently of traffic below it?

[Starglider]

Probably an investment scam and certainly a shoddily built prototype made for marketing rather than serious tests.

[K. A. Pital]

It still conflicts quite badly with other road traffic.

And since it requires rails anyway, why don't they just raise the damn rails so the thing can move independently of traffic below it?

In one of Starglider's links it is reported the bus uses tyres and not rails at this stage. I think it can pretty much move independently of the traffic below, most of the time. Trams do it, why not the bus?

[mr friendly guy]

This was first proposed in 2010, but none of the big cities gave permission to try it. Apparently they got some smaller cities to give it a go, which is fair enough. Less traffic.

Some of the problems like trucks are easy enough to deal with. Even in Beijing there are areas trucks cannot go. So just have it go on lanes where trucks are forbidden.

The issue is, we've been told its being tested, but it appears they mean just the braking and starting system, so its still got a long way to go. Overall one to keep an eye on, but I wouldn't get too excited just yet.

[AMX]

In one of Starglider's links it is reported the bus uses tyres and not rails at this stage. I think it can pretty much move independently of the traffic below, most of the time. Trams do it, why not the bus?

Rubber tyres and rails are not actually mutually exclusive - Paris has rubber-tyred subways,and nobody is trying to call those busses.
The important distinction is whether the vehicle can turn freely - "rubber tyres in a channel" is an unusual type of track, not a road.

As for the comparison to trams:
It can only move independently as long as neither the thing itself nor any of the vehicles below it need to make a turn.
Unlike trams, that's a turn in either direction - if a tram's rails are on the right-hand side of the road, it can move straight without blocking anybody trying to turn left, and it can turn right without blocking anybody going straight.
Vice versa if its rails are on the left.

This thing will always block everybody who isn't following exactly the same route.

[K. A. Pital]

Rubber tyres and rails are not actually mutually exclusive - Paris has rubber-tyred subways,and nobody is trying to call those busses.
The important distinction is whether the vehicle can turn freely - "rubber tyres in a channel" is an unusual type of track, not a road.

As for the comparison to trams:
It can only move independently as long as neither the thing itself nor any of the vehicles below it need to make a turn.
Unlike trams, that's a turn in either direction - if a tram's rails are on the right-hand side of the road, it can move straight without blocking anybody trying to turn left, and it can turn right without blocking anybody going straight.
Vice versa if its rails are on the left.

This thing will always block everybody who isn't following exactly the same route.

Tram rails often run between two directions of the same road, making it necessary to cross them if turning left or turning around - or turning left when coming out from adjacent roads. It is a smaller source of blocks, but still it is blocking turning traffic as it passes. I don't see why some roads, especially straight ones, couldn't be modified to accept this type of vehicle.

[AMX]

Tram rails often run between two directions of the same road, making it necessary to cross them if turning left or turning around - or turning left when coming out from adjacent roads. It is a smaller source of blocks, but still it is blocking turning traffic as it passes.

Yes. It is a smaller source of blocks, meaning this thing is a larger source of blocks.
That's kinda my point.

I don't see why some roads, especially straight ones, couldn't be modified to accept this type of vehicle.

Sure they could be - I just don't see how that would make the least bit of sense.

If you want to raise a vehicle up so it can pass over other traffic, you should raise the entire thing, not give it stilts.

[Starglider]

It's built out of gantry crane components. It has no steering. It uses tyres in concrete trenches too large for vehicles to drive over. The 'test run' was 300m of private tarmac, not a real road. That would all be ok if it was an early engineering prototype with a credible plan for further development, rather than a PR exercise intended to keep a ponzi lending scheme going a bit longer.

This would be dubious but at least vaguely plausible in the US, with high construction costs and the difficulty of getting new rights of way. However pouring concrete guideway/elevated track is so cheap and easy in China that there is no advantage over (well understood, already engineered, faster, safer and mass produced) conventional light rail.

[madd0ct0r]

Lots of traffic engineers in this thread.

Its intersting and a lot of people in the idustry are watching. Not applauding, but watching

[salm]

I'm skeptical whether or not it's practical for this vehicle to share the road with other road cars- including vans, pickup trucks with oversized cargo, etc. The TEB's height will surely force the government to prevent tall vehicles (conventional buses, tractor-trailers, etc.) from sharing the road with it. And while the engineer claims, "The TEB has the same functions as the subway, while its cost of construction is less than one fifth of the subway," he/she doesn't mention the OPERATING COSTS, which may eat up any potential savings.

Let's wait until the trial period ends, before we open the champagne bottles.

The thing covers two lanes. So higher vehicles like vans and trucks could be regulated to stay on the right lane while every one small enough is allowed to pass underneath on the other lane.

[Simon_Jester]

What happens if said van or truck needs to make a left turn?

[salm]

The same thing that happens on an Autobahn when a truck wants to overtake another truck. The left lane is temporarily blocked by a truck.
I don´t know how it is regulated elsewhere but on the Autobahn (and many other streets) you have to stay as right as possible and are only allowed to move futher to the left if necessary. Necessary normally means that you are faster and want to overtake some one.
Since trucks (as in lorries) are slow and move at the same speed (80 km/h) they tend to be on the rightest lane. If there is a hill some trucks can´t keep the 80km/h because they have less powerful motors or are fully loaded or something. Then a faster truck might overtake the slower truck and block the lane for every body else. That is temporarily annoying but doesn´t happen all that often.
If you have a third lane the problem vanishes almost entirely.

[madd0ct0r]

What happens if said van or truck needs to make a left turn?

Are we assuming driving on the left or on the right?

In China (which has not ratified the Convention), drivers drive on the right, while in the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau they drive on the left.

[Simon_Jester]

What happens if said van or truck needs to make a left turn?

Are we assuming driving on the left or on the right?

In China (which has not ratified the Convention), drivers drive on the right, while in the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau they drive on the left.

Doesn't matter. If the vans and trucks are stuck in the right-hand lane, while the two-lane stilt-buses occupy the two left-hand lanes, there will always be a problem turning left, regardless of which side of the road the vehicles are driving on- because the vans and trucks still have to cut across other traffic lanes, lanes which are NOT necessarily turning*, in order to make the turn.

*(and in the case of the stilt-buses, they may not even be physically capable of turning at a given intersection unless the trenches are cut into the street to allow it)

...

Moreover, if you're going to reserve two whole lanes of traffic for stilt-buses, you might as well just reserve those lanes for conventional buses and it would work about as well.

Plus, if the trenches in the concrete are wide enough to take bus tires, they're going to be unsafe for normal vehicles to drive across, such that the only safe path is straight down the middle, effectively reducing two lanes to one. So, again, you might as well just have one car lane and one dedicated buses-only lane, instead of having a two-lane-wide strip that will be choked with a mix of buses that maneuver like streetcars and cars trying to sidle around, past, under, and through them.

[madd0ct0r]

What happens if said van or truck needs to make a left turn?

Are we assuming driving on the left or on the right?

In China (which has not ratified the Convention), drivers drive on the right, while in the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau they drive on the left.

Doesn't matter. If the vans and trucks are stuck in the right-hand lane, while the two-lane stilt-buses occupy the two left-hand lanes, there will always be a problem turning left, regardless of which side of the road the vehicles are driving on- because the vans and trucks still have to cut across other traffic lanes, lanes which are NOT necessarily turning*, in order to make the turn.

*(and in the case of the stilt-buses, they may not even be physically capable of turning at a given intersection unless the trenches are cut into the street to allow it)

...

Moreover, if you're going to reserve two whole lanes of traffic for stilt-buses, you might as well just reserve those lanes for conventional buses and it would work about as well.

Plus, if the trenches in the concrete are wide enough to take bus tires, they're going to be unsafe for normal vehicles to drive across, such that the only safe path is straight down the middle, effectively reducing two lanes to one. So, again, you might as well just have one car lane and one dedicated buses-only lane, instead of having a two-lane-wide strip that will be choked with a mix of buses that maneuver like streetcars and cars trying to sidle around, past, under, and through them.

4 lanes each side dual carriageway in an urban area dense enough to warrant the bus commuter routes? Tch. Americans.
I've put together a little imgur album of the sort of area the buses would operate in:
http://imgur.com/a/NzlV8


So we're talking a 2 lane road. (I'm avoid the word highway since I'm not sure of the connotations - is it more like a dual carrigeway or a national speed limit road?). That's two lanes for each direction of travel, so four lanes in total. These can be wide lanes for fast flowing traffic, or they could be London lanes where you can shave using passing cars. The first one is not safe nor ideal for pedestrians to cross really, the latter is very common, normally built in at junctions with a central refuge so that pedestrians can cross when that lane is stopped anyway.

These sort of buses are not going to be operating the winding routes of the UK where they loop around each suburb as they pass along a major circuit from the city to one point and back. These buses are going to be travelling above one of the big obvious and straight roads in the album. They will span both lanes. Trucks and lorries will not be able to pass. They will stop at each major set of apartment blocks, or at every 500-750m along the road, whichever is needed for the commuter density. When the current bus stops, traffic builds up behind it in that lane, some of it tries to pull out and overtake, and the other lane also gets snarled up. You either patiently sit behind it, or you join the sea of angry horns trying to push past and around it.
When the new high level bus is running, the cars in both lanes drain underneath it. The trucks and lorries still have to sit patiently behind it so you would get similar traffic jams possibly occurring (assuming Quinghado hasn't started traffic rules that keep most lorries off the 2 lane roads during the day - it's pretty common worldwide to do that for traffic flows). The jams being further away from the lead vehicle that is starting and stopping tends to stretch the jam out a bit like a spring (since each driver has to wait for the car ahead to move a bit, then start to move - the result is slower for the end lorry to start moving again, slower for it to start stopping again. These slower accelerations and deccelerations are much much less likely to trigger jams when people are trying to push across lanes, if someone does push half out, there is normally a bit more space opening up to get them out of the way and keep the traffic flowing.

As for how the high buses cross those intersections? Easy, for straight ahead, they cross when the lights allow straight ahead (and any driver under them that wants to turn right will need to slow down and wait 30secs for it to pass overhead. Anyone turning left is on a different filter phase anyway. In cases where the busses are turning, they get their own phase in the traffic lights, same as road tram systems in the UK do. It looks to me as though they are likely to run very linear routes, following the very linear artery roads.

[Simon_Jester]

4 lanes each side dual carriageway in an urban area dense enough to warrant the bus commuter routes? Tch. Americans.

I was responding to someone else's suggestion, by the way.

So we're talking a 2 lane road. (I'm avoid the word highway since I'm not sure of the connotations - is it more like a dual carrigeway or a national speed limit road?). That's two lanes for each direction of travel, so four lanes in total. These can be wide lanes for fast flowing traffic, or they could be London lanes where you can shave using passing cars. The first one is not safe nor ideal for pedestrians to cross really, the latter is very common, normally built in at junctions with a central refuge so that pedestrians can cross when that lane is stopped anyway.

Although I suspect you get more sideswipes when the lanes are very close together, also a higher risk of accidents blocking all lanes. It's necessary when you're running streets through a crowded metropolitan area, but undesirable if you're planning a city with the intent that vehicle traffic be a common thing. Although if you're planning for pedestrian traffic, you probably don't want level crossings for pedestrians to have to cross more than, oh, two wide lanes of traffic at a time? Three, tops?

Eh, I'm just rambling.

These sort of buses are not going to be operating the winding routes of the UK where they loop around each suburb as they pass along a major circuit from the city to one point and back. These buses are going to be travelling above one of the big obvious and straight roads in the album. They will span both lanes. Trucks and lorries will not be able to pass. They will stop at each major set of apartment blocks, or at every 500-750m along the road, whichever is needed for the commuter density. When the current bus stops, traffic builds up behind it in that lane, some of it tries to pull out and overtake, and the other lane also gets snarled up. You either patiently sit behind it, or you join the sea of angry horns trying to push past and around it.

When the new high level bus is running, the cars in both lanes drain underneath it. The trucks and lorries still have to sit patiently behind it so you would get similar traffic jams possibly occurring (assuming Quinghado hasn't started traffic rules that keep most lorries off the 2 lane roads during the day - it's pretty common worldwide to do that for traffic flows). The jams being further away from the lead vehicle that is starting and stopping tends to stretch the jam out a bit like a spring (since each driver has to wait for the car ahead to move a bit, then start to move - the result is slower for the end lorry to start moving again, slower for it to start stopping again. These slower accelerations and deccelerations are much much less likely to trigger jams when people are trying to push across lanes, if someone does push half out, there is normally a bit more space opening up to get them out of the way and keep the traffic flowing.

That is... an interesting point, actually. Under those specific circumstances and assuming appropriate precautions are taken, the two lane bus may actually work a little better than the one-lane bus, and it can hold more people so you don't need buses stopping every five minutes or whatever along the busy thoroughfare.

My only remaining concern is that if it runs in big deep trenches in the pavement, it interferes with the ability of other vehicles to safely use the road.

[Mange]

There was an article on BBC News the other day and there are some really big question marks about it: BBC News (Sorry, I can't copy and paste the entire text.)