There are few things that are more annoying than sitting in bummer to bummer traffic. Yet, as cities are expanding at rapid rates, our infrastructure simply cannot support the number of people, and so congestion becomes an every day obstacle we have to face. As Bettina Wassener reported for the New York Times, for one China-based company, Shenzhen Huashi Future Parking Equipment, the vicious cycle of a growing population which leads to more vehicles – and hence, more traffic – needed to be addressed. And, along came their super functional, extra-wide (20 ft) and extra-tall ‘Straddling Bus’. The vehicle runs along fixed tracks and its main compartment is elevated to leave the street clear for cars driving underneath. Plus, the vehicle is partially powered by the sun via panels on the roof and at bus stops.
More about the Straddling Bus after the break.
It is estimated that the vehicles, which hold up to 1,200 passengers each and travel at 40 kilometers per hour, will reduce traffic jams by 25-30% on main roads. The cost of construction for one bus and 25 miles of route facilities is around $7.4 million – one-tenth the cost of building a subway line of the same length!
According to the Times, Youzhou Song, the vehicle’s designer said, “The straddling bus could replace up to 40 conventional buses, potentially saving the 860 tons of fuel that 40 buses would consume annually, and preventing 2,640 tons of carbon emissions.”
A pilot project for the vehicle is in the works in Beijing, a city that is motivated to reduce carbon emissions dramatically.
But is it actually a bus? It almost appears to be riding on some kind of tracks/rail system rather than tires. Either way it still pretty interesting.
yes is an ingenious idea, but …
how it proceds in a road crossing? if the cars which are underneath want to switch their directions to right or left and the Straddling Bus keep going on the principal road? is quite difficult to think a line structure which includes road crossings. :) i like your site. keep it the best :)
What about making turns….especially around corners?!?
is difficult to make turns when you are under this bus or how it is called. so the projectants have to think a lot before begining this infrastucture solution.
this is the proposal of a Brazilian office Indio da Costa, I like more.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Xt3zkXT_l8
bummer to bummer traffic? classic
“bummer to bummer traffic”? what are insinuating?
Not to be a downer, but really?! The first car to swerve into the left or right hand side causing a pile up under this moving train / bus would kill hundreds. The train would most likely derail, the people on the train, on the side of the train, and under the train would all be injured….This makes zero sense. It’s a great idea…..but can it really work?
you’re not being a downer at all, just being sensible. in fact, you say yourself it makes zero sense, and i agree. so really it’s not a great idea at all, it’s a terrible idea.
I totally agree w/ you….besides….what if a car gets stuck between lanes (it happens all the times in traffic jams…) or while changing lanes…? would the “train/bus” run over it? Thus, I think it would be just as slow….
It’s an ingenious idea, but would definitely need tweaking. First off, it’d have to span the entire eastbound/westbound/southbound/northbound lanes to allow cars under it to change lanes at will. And secondly would probably have to become more compartmentalized to allow for turning. Some other interesting issues though: overpasses? semi-trucks? on-ramps/off-ramps and merging cars that would be crossing the bus’ supports?
Creative architectural thinking applied to an urban issue, we need more ideas like this. Although initially classified as a ‘bus’, I believe this will evolve into a whole new type of public transportation. The cost assessment seems too optimistic, though: it will surely cost more than 7.5mi in the end.
@tfa:
Just checked the link for Indio da Costa’s TEX. Amazing, thanks so much! Now my favourite too: more functional and easier to adapt to existing urban grids.
I always though Indio is one of the most underestimated talents in Brazil’s archi realm.
I would be absolutely terrified if this thing came over me whilst I was driving.
what about cars switching lanes at the WRONG time, just when that thing hits and 1200 people get overturned…some serious infastructure and people in car’s psyche will have to be changed…
indio da costa is just a copycat faker… get serious, for god sake
They are not thinked about huge public zepelins. It would be more radical, no trafic jams, no buses but the cost would be equal to that.
In the end, it just doesn’t look very nice, and I think that’s what truly matters.
una cagata pazzesca!
Bummer to bummer traffic? Is that a joke? ;-)
Nice concept!
The sraddling bus is a joke. Try stabilising the population.