New Super Straddling Bus concept
Discussion
http://www.umiwi.com/player/flvPlayer.swf?flvID=15...
"So here's a fascination public transport idea that we've never seen mooted before – giant super-buses that roll on stilts on small tracks between lanes of traffic. So they roll over the top of stopped traffic, and when they stop to let passengers on and off, they don't interrupt the flow of traffic below.
Far quicker and cheaper to build than a subway or monorail system, the Straddling Bus system simply requires modification to existing roads, and the creation of a network of elevated bus stops. The road mods can either comprise inlaid rails – at a 30 percent energy saving due to lack of rolling resistance – or simply a painted colored line, which the buses can be programmed to follow autonomously as they roll on regular tires. Clearly the latter would be exceptionally cheap to deploy, requiring almost no disruption to the road.
The fully electric buses charge themselves in a new and unique way – which is called relay charging. All along each route, there are charging stations positioned in such a way that there is always a charging post in contact with the bus. The roof of the bus is itself an electrical conductor, so as it brushes against one of these charging posts, it's juiced up as it runs. As its main load is starting and stopping at each station, the bus runs on high-power, fast-discharge supercapacitors. The remaining energy after a start can sustain the bus through to the next stop."
http://www.gizmag.com/chinese-straddling-bus-china...
"So here's a fascination public transport idea that we've never seen mooted before – giant super-buses that roll on stilts on small tracks between lanes of traffic. So they roll over the top of stopped traffic, and when they stop to let passengers on and off, they don't interrupt the flow of traffic below.
Far quicker and cheaper to build than a subway or monorail system, the Straddling Bus system simply requires modification to existing roads, and the creation of a network of elevated bus stops. The road mods can either comprise inlaid rails – at a 30 percent energy saving due to lack of rolling resistance – or simply a painted colored line, which the buses can be programmed to follow autonomously as they roll on regular tires. Clearly the latter would be exceptionally cheap to deploy, requiring almost no disruption to the road.
The fully electric buses charge themselves in a new and unique way – which is called relay charging. All along each route, there are charging stations positioned in such a way that there is always a charging post in contact with the bus. The roof of the bus is itself an electrical conductor, so as it brushes against one of these charging posts, it's juiced up as it runs. As its main load is starting and stopping at each station, the bus runs on high-power, fast-discharge supercapacitors. The remaining energy after a start can sustain the bus through to the next stop."
http://www.gizmag.com/chinese-straddling-bus-china...
Strangely Brown said:
RobM77 said:
A lack of lance discipline can lead to serious injury!
Bugger, I thought I was quick enough to edit that nobody would notice. 
Edited by Strangely Brown on Wednesday 4th August 13:01
Good point though. I'd like to know how the risk of people changing lanes is managed, but more importantly how this thing manages corners and junctions. I haven't seen the video, just the image in the article in the second link.I'd also like to know how the average driver is going to react if they're creeping forwards in nose to tail traffic, not looking in their mirrors and suddenly a bus drives over the top of them! I expect the distraction would cause a few bumps in traffic, or possibly worse.
Oh, and how would this thing take being t-boned by a heavy lorry? With the bottom fixed into rails, would it be toppled over quite easily? It's a long way to fall for occupants that aren't wearing seatbelts.
Surely given the problems this thing causes, a monorail is a cheap solution? I'd like to see the figures and justification.
Not trying to be too negative, I'm just thinking of all the challenges the bus will face.
Edited by RobM77 on Wednesday 4th August 13:21
carl_w said:
None of those problems mentioned above are insurmountable. Tracks could be inlaid like tram tracks. Plenty of countries have trams on the highway, and people aren't stupid enough to park on the tram tracks. They also manage junctions somehow.
- most* people aren't stupid enough to tangle with the trams here in Holland but it still happens! It can be anything from an impatient commuter making a u-turn, a confused tourist, a hesitant learner or a chavvy rice-boy but people do hit the trams fairly regularly. The trams win but it screws up my commute
I suspect they will go with the painted lines and tyres, rather than rails/tramways. The buses are 6 meters wide and 4.5 meters high, so they can straddle two lanes of traffic, and yet still fit under most existing overpasses. Each bus will have a capacity of 1,200 people, apparently !!
According to the article this is not a pipe dream – the pilot program goes into construction by the end of this year in the Mentougou district of Beijing, where 186km of tracks will be laid.
According to the article this is not a pipe dream – the pilot program goes into construction by the end of this year in the Mentougou district of Beijing, where 186km of tracks will be laid.
Looks like a great idea, keeping buses out of the way. Wouldn't work in the uk because the roads are a mess but if you are building the roads from scratch with this in mind no reason it can't be done.
Also I doubt they will have the same problem of never ending review panels you would get here.
Also I doubt they will have the same problem of never ending review panels you would get here.
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