3D Fast Bus: China's traffic-straddling bus

The 3D Fast Bus

In a bid to cut congestion, improve public transport and reduce emissions, Chinese company Shenzhen Huashi Future Car-Parking Equipment has developed a ‘straddling bus' that is able to span roads to pick up pedestrians while allowing regular traffic to drive underneath it.

The idea, that is seriously being considered by China's government, would be a way of saving construction costs as well as minimizing congestion impact by allowing cars to drive under these public transport behemoths, while improving public transit.

To date, plans will see Huashi commence building its first 186km of track at year's end in Beijing's Mentougou district. The system works by running a track on either side of the road, allowing the bus to straddle the freeway. Another option, Shenzhen Hashi has said, is to do away with the track and simply create an autopilot system which follows two white lines painted on either side of the road.

Ultrasonic waves would be used to warn the driver if traffic was ‘crowding it'.Laser rays that scan traffic will also activate alarms inside the bus if there's a danger of an accident.

Practical?

While the system looks very science-fiction and not very practical for existing road systems, it was embraced at the Beijing International High-tech Expo in May. With impressive statistics such as the ability for each ‘bus' to hold 1200 to 1400 passengers, reduction in traffic jams by between 20-30 percent and a cost of 10 percent of a traditional subway system, it is easy to see why the Chinese could be pursuing the idea.

The buses, also known as "3D Fast Bus" will have a top speed of 60km/h and hoped to be a solution to the increasingly large amount of congestion on China's roads, especially in major cities like Shanghai and Beijing. With more and more Chinese consumers buying cars, it is hoped that the bus system will be a more plausible alternative to subways, which are tiem consuming to build.

The 3D Fast Bus also boasts green credentials as they will aim to be powered by a combination of solar power and electricity.

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Timon Singh

Timon Singh is a graduate of Liverpool University where he received a degree in Social and Economic History. He has previously worked for BBC Magazines on BBC Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine, the publication for the popular genealogy show.

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