Bus avoids traffic jams in China by gliding above them

Unveiled at the China Beijing International High-Tech Expo, the Transit Elevated Bus (TEB) is a tram-bus hybrid capable of holding 1,200 passengers that may just be the answer to traffic jams. The vehicle offers a unique approach to tackling China’s traffic congestions by gliding over them.

This is not the first time an idea like this has been proposed: in 2010, a “straddling bus” first made an appearance at the Beijing expo, but doubts surrounding the project led to the cancellation of the trial run. Six years later, designer Song Youzhou confirmed that the prototypes are under construction in five cities – Nanyang, Qinhuangdao, Shenyang, Tianjin and Zhoukou – and will run hundreds of miles of tracks.

The TEB is an electric-powered public transit system that will run on rails embedded in the roads, similar to a tram. It sits high enough off the ground, allowing other cars to pass safely beneath it. The vehicle is environmentally-friendly, fueled by electricity that is supplemented by solar panels that are embedded in roof panels.

To prevent accidents, the guardrails will be constructed between the bus tracks and car lanes that pass through the elevated bus. The rails will be able to absorb at least 70 percent of collision impact to reduce damage to the bus and surrounding vehicles. The TEB lanes will be limited to passenger vehicles no higher than 7.2 feet, while also meeting zoning and bridging height regulations depending on the city.

Each bus will cost approximately 30 million renminbi (equal to about $4.5 million), which Youzhou noted is one-sixteenth the price of a subway train. Designers said that the TEB could be built in as little as 12 months. The first tests are scheduled to take place in Qinhuangdao City, in northeast China's Hebei Province, in the second half of 2016. 

Source: New York Times and International Business Times