Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

A review of technological improvements in bus rapid transit (BRT) and buses with high level of service (BHLS)

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Public Transport Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Bus rapid transit BRT, and its European counterpart buses with high level of service BHLS, have been adopted by more than 160 cities around the world as a low cost, rapid implementation option for improved transit services. This paper summarizes some past advances of BRT and BHLS and presents some trends in vehicle guidance, propulsion technologies and information systems which are shaping the future of bus systems. We use the cities of Curitiba, Paris, Bogotá, Santiago, Istanbul, and Guangzhou to present relevant breakthroughs in bus system evolution. Thanks to the advances pioneered in these cities, BRT and BHLS became feasible alternatives to or complement metro and trams, and an integral part of integrated transit solutions, even in megacities like Mexico, Rio de Janeiro, Beijing, and New York. Evolution is ongoing; cities and providers are advancing technological components to enhance passenger experience and improve the technical, economic and environmental performance of BRT and BHLS.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Adapted from the general definition of technology provided by http://www.wordreference.com, Visited 14 May 2013.

  2. Diaz and Hinnebaugh (2009) and Levinson et al. (2003b) indicate that BRT applications can go from very simple (BRT Light) to very complex (Full BRT). BRT Light involves some priority measures and service enhancements, while Full BRT involves busways, stations, overtaking lanes, vehicles, control and information technology, complex service plan with multiple routes inclusive of express services, and distinctive image. It is important to note that each application should be tailored to the demand needs and corridor constraints and not all applications need to be full BRT.

References

  • APTS (2011) PHILEAS, a tram on tires. http://www.apts-phileas.com. Visited 20 May 2011

  • Ardila A (2004) Transit planning in Curitiba and Bogotá, roles in interaction, risk, and change. Dissertation (Ph.D. in Urban and Transportation Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Cambridge

  • Ardila A (2007) How public transportation’s past is haunting its future in Bogotá, Colombia. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 2038, Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., pp 9–15

  • Ardila A, Rodriguez D (2010) How chaos does not destroy ridership: operations of an exclusive busway carrying more than 35,000 passengers per hour per direction. Transportation Research Record No. 1726, Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., pp 1–7

  • Bradley M (2010) Ultra-efficient bus rapid transit timetabling. Thesis, Curtin University of Technology, Faculty of Humanities, Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute. http://espace.library.curtin.edu.au/R/?func=search-advanced-go&request1=143612. Visited 3 March 2012

  • Cervero R (1998) The transit metropolis: a global inquiry. Island Press, Washington DC

    Google Scholar 

  • China Bus Rapid Transit (2011) Xiamen BRT, ITDP. http://www.chinabrt.org/en/cities/xiamen.aspx. Visited 17 May 2011

  • China Bus Rapid Transit (2013) Guangzhou BRT, ITDP. http://www.chinabrt.org/en/cities/guangzhou.aspx. Visited 16 May 2013

  • Cidade Olimpica (2013) Transcarioca, Rio de Janeiro. http://www.cidadeolimpica.com.br/projetos/transcarioca/. Visited 17 May 2013

  • Cipriani E, Gori S, Petrelli M (2009) Bus network design: procedure and application in large urban areas. The 11th international conference on advanced systems for public transport, Hong Kong

  • Cooper E, Arioli M, Carrigan A, Jain U (2012) Exhaust emissions of transit buses—working paper. EMBARQ. http://www.embarq.org/en/project/sustainable-urban-transport-fuels-and-vehicles-program. Visited 17 May 2013

  • Global BRT Data (2013) Produced by ALC-BRT Center of Excellence and EMBARQ in partnership with International Energy Agency and SIBRT. http://brtdata.org/. Visited 14 May 2013

  • Delgado F, Muñoz JC, Giesen R (2011) An integrated real time transit signal priority control for high frequency transit services. International conference series on competition and ownership in land passenger transport. Thredbo 12. Durban

  • Diaz RB, Hinebaugh D (eds) (2009) Characteristics of BRT for decision makers (CBRT), 2nd edn. Publication FTA-FL-26-7109.2009.1, Federal Transit Adminstration, United States Department of Transportation, Washington, D.C.

  • Dulac J (2013) Global land transport infrastructure requirements—estimating road and railway infrastructure capacity and costs to 2050. International Energy Agency. http://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/TransportInfrastructureInsights_FINAL_WEB.pdf. visited 17 May 2013

  • Finn B, Heddebaut O, Kerkhof A, Rambaud F, Sbert-Lozano O, Soulas C (eds) (2011) Buses with high level of service: fundamental characteristics and recommendations for decision making and research. Cost Action TU0603, Final Report

  • Fjellstrom K (2010) Bus rapid transit in China. Built Environ 26(3):363–374

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gilbert A (2008) Bus rapid transit: is TransMilenio a miracle cure? Transp Rev 28(4):439–467

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Giro (2012) HASTUS—transit scheduling and operations. http://www.giro.ca/en/products/hastus/index.htm. Visited 3 March 2012

  • Goal Systems (2012) GoalBus, optimal timetabling, vehicle and driver scheduling in bus companies. http://www.goalsystems.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=283&Itemid=188&lang=en. Visited 3 March 2012

  • Gutierrez L (2010) “TransMilenio alrededor del Mundo”, TransMilenio 10 años. TRANSMILENIO S.A, Diciembre

    Google Scholar 

  • Heddebaut O, Finn B, Rabuel S, Rambaud F (2010) The European bus with a high level of service (BHLS): concept and Practice. Built Environ 36(3):307–316

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hensher D (1999) A bus-based transitway or light rail? Continuing the saga on choice versus blind commitment. Road Transp Res 8(3)

  • Hidalgo D (2009) Citywide transit integration in a large city: the Interligado system of São Paulo, Brazil. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, Issue Number: 2114, Developing Countries, pp 19–27

  • Hidalgo D (2011) TransMilenio, ten years down the line. http://thecityfix.com/transmilenio-ten-years-down-the-line/. Visited 20 Dec 2011

  • Hidalgo D, Carrigan A (2010) Modernizing public transportation, lessons learned from major bus improvements in Latin America and Asia. World Resources Institute, Washington, D.C. http://www.embarq.org/en/modernizing-public-transportation. Visited 20 Dec 2011

  • Hidalgo D, Gutierrez L (2013) BRT around the world: explosive growth, large positive impacts and many issues outstanding. Res Transp Econ 39(1):8–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hidalgo D, Lleras G, Hernández E (2013) Methodology for calculating passenger capacity in bus rapid transit systems: application to the TransMilenio system in Bogotá, Colombia. Res Transp Econ 39(1):139–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hodgson P, Potter S, Warren J, Gillingwater D (2011) Can bus really be the new tram? THREDBO 12, Durban

  • Hofman A (2008) Advanced network planning for bus rapid transit: the “Quickway” model as a modal alternative to “Light Rail Lite”. Federal Transit Administration, FTA-FL-26-7104.2007.4

  • Hutchinson A (2010) TransMilenio, the good, the bus and the ugly. The City Fix. http://thecityfix.com/blog/transmilenio-the-good-the-bus-and-the-ugly/. Visited 2 March 2012

  • IEA (2012) Energy technology perspectives 2012—how to secure a clean energy future. International Energy Agency, Paris

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • IETT (2013) Istanbul Public Transport Authority, Istanbul Metropolitan Administration, Turkey. http://www.iett.gov.tr/en/section.php?sid=58. Visited 17 May 2013

  • IPPUC (2011) Institute for Research and Urban Planning of Curitiba. Database (in Portuguese). ippucnet.ippuc.org.br/Bancodedados. Accessed 10 May 2011

  • Larrain H, Giesen R, Munoz JC (2010) Choosing the right express services for bus corridor with capacity restrictions. Transp Res Rec 2197:63–70

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leiva C, Muñoz JC, Giesen R, Larrain H (2010) Design of limited-stop services for an urban bus corridor with capacity constraints. Transp Res Part B Methodol 44(10):1186–1201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levinson H, Zimmerman S, Clinger J, Rutherford S, Smith RL, Cranknell J, Soberman R (2003a) “Bus rapid transit—volume 1: case studies in bus rapid transit”. Transit Cooperative Research Program—Report 90, vol I. Transportation Research Board, National Academies, Washington, D.C.

  • Levinson H, Zimmerman S, Clinger J, Gast J, Rutherford S, Bruhn E (2003b) Bus rapid transit—volume 2: implementation guidelines. Transit Cooperative Research Program—Report 90, vol II. Transportation Research Board, National Academies, Washington, D.C.

  • Lindau LA, Senna LAS, Strambi O, Martins WC (2008) Alternative financing for bus rapid transit (BRT): the case of Porto Alegre, Brazil. Res Transp Econ 22(1):54–60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lindau LA, Hidalgo D, Facchini D (2010) Curitiba, the Cradle of BRT. Built Environ 36(3):274–282

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MIFARE (2012) MIFARE Milestones. http://mifare.net/overview/history/. Visited 3 March 2012

  • Montezuma R (2009) Vehículos Eléctricos: El Transporte del Futuro. Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Facultad de Artes, Centro de Extensión Académica, Bogotá

    Google Scholar 

  • Motorola (2012) Tetra applications. http://www.motorola.com/Business/XP-EN/Product+Lines/Dimetra+TETRA/TETRA+Applications. Visited 3 March 2012

  • Muñoz JC (2002) Driver-shift design for single-hub transit systems under uncertainty, Dissertation, University of California at Berkeley. http://uctc.net/research/diss105.pdf. Visited 3 March 2012

  • Muñoz JC, Giesen R (2010) Optimization of public transportation systems. In: Cochran JJ (ed) Encyclopedia of operations research and management science, vol 6, pp 3886–3896

  • Muñoz JC, Hidalgo D (2013) Workshop 2: bus rapid transit as part of enhanced service provision. THREDBO 12: recent developments in the reform of land passenger transport. Res Transp Econ 39(1):104–107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muñoz JC, Ortúzar J, de D, Gschwender A (2008) Transantiago: the fall and rise of a radical public transport intervention. In: Saleh and Sammer (eds) Travel demand management and road user pricing: success, failure and feasibility, chap 9. Ashgate Publishing Limited, UK, pp 151–172

  • Octupus (2012) Our history, corporate profile, Octupus. http://www.octopus.com.hk/about-us/corporate-profile/our-history/en/index.html. Visited 3 March 2012

  • Peak M (2004) Analysis of fuels and propulsion system options for BRT vehicles, FTA-CA-26-7044-2033, WestStart-CALSTART. http://www.calstart.org/Libraries/Publications/Analysis_of_Fuels_and_Propulsion_System_Options_for_BRT.sflb.ashx. Visited 20 May 2011

  • Pessaro B, Van Nostrand C (2011) An evaluation of the Cleveland HealthLine Mechanical Guide Wheel, Report Number: FTA- FL- 26-7110.2011.2, NBRTI. http://www.nbrti.org/docs/pdf/Cleveland_Mechanical_Guide_Wheel_Evaluation_508%20Format.pdf. Visited 20 May 2011

  • Siemens (2010b) e-BRT®: the sustainable development solution for Bus Rapid Transit lines. https://www.swe.siemens.com/france/web/en/sts/products/our2/mass/optical/Documents/e-BRT_Eng.pdf. Visited 20 May 2011

  • Siemens (2011a) Optiguide. https://www.swe.siemens.com/france/web/en/sts/products/our2/mass/optical/Pages/optical_guidance.aspx. Visited 20 May 2011

  • Smart Card Alliance (2011) transit and contactless open payments: an emerging approach for fare collection. http://www.smartcardalliance.org/pages/publications-transit-financial-2011. Visited 3 March 2012

  • Smart Card Alliance (2012). Smart card FAQ. http://www.smartcardalliance.org/pages/smart-cards-faq. Visited 3 March 2012

  • Smiler S (2011) Bus priority systems—special issue on kerb guided buses (O-Bahn). http://www.citytransport.info/OBahn.htm. Visited 20 May 2011

  • Suarez J (2011) Volvo México, Personal Communication

  • Tirachini A, Hensher DA, Jara-Diaz S (2010) Comparing operator and users costs of light rail, heavy rail and bus rapid transit over a radial public transport network. Res Transp Econ 29(1):231–242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Topp HH (1999) Innovations in tram and light rail systems. Proc Inst Mech Eng Part F J Rail Rapid Transit 213(3):133–141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • TRANSMILENIO S.A. (2011) http://www.transmilenio.gov.co. Accessed 17 Jan 2012

  • URBS—Urbanization Company of Curitiba. URBS Official Website (in Portuguese). http://www.urbs.curitiba.pr.gov.br. Accessed 10 May 2011

  • Venter C (2011) The lurch towards formalization: lessons from the implementation of BRT in Johannesburg, South Africa, THREDBO 12, Durban

  • Viegas JM (2011) Instituto Técnico Superior de Lisboa, Personal Communication

  • VREF (2011) The future of urban transport

  • Vuchic VR (2007) Urban transit systems and technology. Wiley, Hoboken

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Wilbur Smith and Associates (1966) Under commission from American Automobile Manufacturers Association (H. S. Levinson, Principal Investigator). Transportation and Parking for Tomorrow’s Cities, New Haven, cited by Levinson et al. (2003b)

  • Wren A, Rousseau JM (1993) Bus driver scheduling, an overview. University of Leeds, School of Computer Studies, Research Report Series, Report 93.31

  • Wright L (ed) (2010) Bus rapid transit: a public transport renaissance. Built Environ 36(3)

  • Wright L, Hook W (eds) (2007) Bus rapid transit planning guide, 3rd edn. Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, New York

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Bus Rapid Transit Centre of Excellence (http://www.brt.cl) funded by the Volvo Research and Educational Foundations (VREF). The authors also gratefully acknowledge the research support provided by CEDEUS, CONICYT/FONDAP 15110020. An abridged version of this paper was published by VREF (2011). The draft paper was presented in CASPT 12. Names of some manufacturers and system providers are mentioned in the paper with the purpose of illustration; this does not constitute endorsement of their products or services. We thank Dr. Robin King for revising the manuscript and we appreciate the comments from anonymous reviewers. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the views of their institutions or the funders.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. EMBARQ, the World Resources Institute (WRI) signature initiative for sustainable transport and urban development, 10 G Street NE, Washington, DC, 20002, USA

    Darío Hidalgo

  2. Department of Transport Engineering and Logistics, BRT Centre of Excellence, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile

    Juan Carlos Muñoz

Authors
  1. Darío Hidalgo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Juan Carlos Muñoz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Darío Hidalgo.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Hidalgo, D., Muñoz, J.C. A review of technological improvements in bus rapid transit (BRT) and buses with high level of service (BHLS). Public Transp 6, 185–213 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12469-014-0089-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12469-014-0089-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation