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First green 'straddling' bus in China

By Zheng Jinran (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-08-25 16:40

The straddling bus is 6 meters wide, 10 meters long per car and 4 to 4.5 meters tall, with two levels: passengers on the upper deck, while vehicles under 2 meters can go through under it. [Photo/Beijing Times]

 

The first green "straddling" bus in China started its design and production process on Aug 24 and is expected to be put into operation by the end of 2011, Beijing Times reported on Aug 25.

China South Locomotive & Rolling Stock Corp Ltd (CSR) is responsible for the straddling bus program. It is to be put into pilot use in Beijing's Mentougou district.

The straddling bus is 6 meters wide, 10 meters long per car and 4 to 4.5 meters tall, with two levels: passengers on the upper deck, while vehicles under 2 meters can go through under it. It will have a speed of up to 60 km/h. It is expected to reduce traffic jams by 20-30 percent.

Song Youzhou, chairman of Shenzhen Hashi Future Parking Equipment Co Ltd, said that this bus is cheaper and greener than a standard bus. It costs 50 million yuan ($7.4 million) to build one kilometer path for the bus, which is only 10 percent of the cost of building one kilometer subway track, and is powered by electricity and solar energy.

The straddling bus is designed independently by Chinese engineers.