What was once a crazy bus/train-hybrid idea has turned into reality, as China’s elevated bus has just undergone its first test run in Qinhuangdao. The Transit Elevated Bus (TEB) was first touted in 2010 as a solution to the traffic woes in the country, and was revealed in miniature form during the 19th China Beijing International High-Tech Expo in May this year.
This time however, the real-life test unit (TEB-1) you see here measures 22 meters in length, 7.8 meters in width, 4.8 meters tall and can clear vehicles measuring 2.1 meters in height. For testing purposes, the bus is limited to a 300-meter long track, and isn’t subjected to demanding traffic challenges or excessive turns.
The tests will provide engineers and officials some insight into the feasibility of the TEB, and to quash or confirm the safety concerns of the public. For instance, would there be a collision if cars attempted to change lanes, and what happens when a trailer truck comes barrelling through.
For passengers, the traffic-straddling bus/train is capable of carrying up to 300 passengers, and feature 18 seats along the walls, two round ones in the centre, and plenty of space to stand. On the outside, there are traffic lights sit on all four corners of the bus.
Powered by electricity and solar energy, the TEB in future iterations could hits speeds of up to 60 km/h. Aside from “solving” the traffic problem by having it run below the TEB, the transport system is said to cost five times less than a subway, and has a short build time, according to a report by the Xinhua News Agency.
Frequent internet users will probably have seen videos of the concept in action previously, and if not, here it is again, courtesy of the Shanghaiist. What do you think of China’s TEB? An interesting solution or the worse idea in the world? Sound off in our comments section below.
Still not convinced about China's futuristic "straddling bus" that floats above the traffic? Check out this video.
>> http://shst.me/dk4
Posted by Shanghaiist on Friday, 27 May 2016
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It is impressive.
But again, the trick to PT is the fare. PT fares cannot be exorbitant.
The other trick is connectivity. It must connect to key hubs to make it connect to other forms of PT to make it seamless.
I look at the upcoming rail systems in Klang Valley and while it isn’t perfect (retrofitting an urban rail system in a built-up, populated areas is tough), it is close. KJ Line connects to AG line, both will connect with SBK Line, and also SSP Line. LRT 3 will connect with SBK Line and all these lines also connect to Komuter.
It is the feeder buses that needs more refinement. This gigantic buss mass mover may be the answer.
Thars what lrt, monorail, trams are for…
And KTM Komuter now operates at 60 minute frequency because the lack of maintenence foresight. Study visit UK, China tiap tahun pun tak pandai2 jugak.
This is called “Lawatan sambil Belajar”. See the keyword here? It’s “LAWATAN”, the “BELAJAR” part is part time, if got time, if feels like doing it, if the superior feels like doing it, if the superior’s wife no need go shopping, if the weather is good, etc
Building MRT/LRT beams create more potential “rasuah” mah. Malaysia where care one.
innovative and creative
This are the ministers who are working on how to reduce cost and innovative ways to reduce traffic on public transportation so that people will get full use onto it, unlike some especially our road & transport minister, doing nothing but to wait every month for their salary and allowance to be bank into their account…
Now this is what we call progress, people thinking on how to make lives better, not thinking how our women should dress, prying into peoples private lives and a general mindset of anything progressive leads you to hell. All our neighbours are stepping forward, i hope we can buck up too
didnt they know they can used LRT system.. much more easier
actually they are planning to design a huge dome covering the entire city with a built-in network of transportation right inside the dome structure ‘floated’ above the city.
All it takes is a 1 ton lorry on the road and everything will be halted.
If lori langgar, how ah?
Engineers should have thought of the following risk:
1. Trucks and tall vehicles that suddenly use the road.
2. Completely difficult to switch lanes or manouvre in case of emergency/defensive driving.
3. Motorcyclists are the most vulnerable
4. Its going to be suddenly dark & super narrow underneath it. How can drivers cope especially at night.
5. Emergency situation where vehicles have to move to the road side (ambulance, breakdown etc).
6. Children who likes to pop out their head over their parents’ SUV sunroof…
Think point #1, #3, #4 & #6 is avoidable.
#1. Just ban trailers during peak hour in city center, we have such rule here too.
#3. Motorbikes are banned in most of China big cities, so no issue.
#4. Install appropriate lights underneath the bus
#6. It might not be as short as cars like SUV just marginal passing through?
Yes, that is why they are doing this feasibility study in the first place.
It’s childish to suggest or lecture a country with super advance space technology, advance military and nuclear power, on such simple things. Any assumptions on they might left some of the issues out is also waste of time. The Chinese is highly systematic, keen to learn that’s y they copy first, efficient, and straight down on enforcement. Superpower such as USA also dare not lecture so much on it. A poorest failed state just become the richest country, the closed minded Chinese open up their mind and blow away the super conservative founder mostly in Malaysia now. It’s world majority of bicycles and scooter rider cities just emptied every 2 wheelers on street and send them to MY becoming mat rempit. If we have a bunch of leaders like the mainland, today will be very different.
And why do new Chinese bridges collapse then? New Chinese buildings too?
The Malaysian government is far from perfect… but so is the Chinese. Better, yes, but not perfect.
china people still berak in the middle of the road and eat dogs.. just youtube it.. super advance space tech my asssss… kahkahkah…
China is buat dulu, pikir kemudian. Then let the bashers here praise and support while bashing MY Gov. Once kena langgar by lori, then only pikir and take action.
Jangan persoal our foreign overlords or u r BN lapdog.
4. At night people should have their lights on!
I think the biggest problem is Asian drivers. They tend to be rather… chaotic and opportunistic. Where there’s a space, they will go. Like making use of emergency lanes. Plus people tend to be oblivious to their surroundings.
Maybe after some time they will get used to it and it can work, but until then, better reinforce the bus.
Normal_user tolong jangan duduk bawah tempurung. Sila lawat Tongsan.
This looks like more of a problem rather than a solution
don’t be surprise if this will be implemented in Malaysia.. not due to feasibility study.. but merely due to……:D
BRT vs Rail solution..
it fast to built, less tech involve which a high capacity, lower cost.. but won’t last long..
There is a reason why lrt built much higher, separate from road is to avoid
1) collision car to the TEB
2) road trespasser accident
3) what if the road goes under flyover?
4) What if road suddenly get smaller, size get different
5) Half of road closed for repair, how?
6) Ability of TEB with width 20 metres to take a corner/lap, why do you think lrt, train width only 4 meters?
7) Stability and strength of TEB especially the below part.
Rileks dulu.
Just think this way, if this was by MY Gov the bashings wud be over 9000. However since this is by EverythingFake Gov, so the praise is alredi over 9000.
Deal with it.
Road suddenly got smaller, different size? Road closed for repair?
Do you think their roads are like ours? China have much better and smoother roads than what we have here. I have been to Beijing and the roads are in very good quality and have some sort of standard on their measurement.
And for repairs, I think much less repair needed compared to our road as well.
Motorcycles would flock under this thing when it rains creating massive jam
Key to public transport is value and flexibility. If its cheap but not flexible to reduce and increase capacity, pointless, and vice-versa. The best public transport is the bus. Cheap, and can be flexible with capacity. Buses have never been bad – its just not implemented and managed well. So instead of improving it, we spend billions on another system, even a BRT which now no one is using. Not glamour to have a good bus system – old fashioned. That’s the problem.
I agree with what you are saying. A side note is that trams is actually much more comfortable and safer than a bus. The downside for a tram is the road needs to be wide enough to facilitate for the traffics, and if there is a need to share it with other vehicles then it wouldn’t have a problem with it’s schedules.
BRT isn’t a very well thought out system, I worry from time to time if the driver may make a mistake and ram the bus off the rails into the cars below. If they would have made it partially below-ground-level where it shares the road with lorries and trucks then it would be a far better option. So on-ground-level transports would be cars and motorcycles. I’m speaking of the Sunway area as the roads does seem to be wide enough to make such arrangements.
I think the best upcoming solution would be the personal driverless transportation system, the one Elon Musk is pushing for. It addresses almost all the issues we have with public transportation.
Sunway BRT is too short to be economically feasible. Its more like a proof of concept just like shanghai maglev
looks f*king cool!
It is improvement/progress agreed but not yet QUANTUM improvement, it is like enhancing existing non-wired technology. In this respect DRIVERLESS/AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES in my opinion is ahead because combustion, hybrid and electrical are replacements to fossil fuel while driverless vehicles is both that is fuel and driver.
Before u know it, China will progress to be the most advance country in the world!
Reason? No political bickering. No religious issues. Hardworking and very patriotic people. Etc Etc
Reason? They have enuff pipu left to focus on after shoveling all oppolitikuses and dissidents to Mongolia and some say Siberia too.
God exists. Patriotism is irrational.
Looking forward to see liveleak morbid videos related to this elevated bus.
looked like a serpent.
yeah, everyone driving underneath is like crawling under the serpent’s belly.
:D
Made in China? Should be wary ….
China has done a lot of researches before building these prototypes of 60Km/HrMax TEB buses for trial run in 5 different China cities. I understood that they have high-impact steelbelt embedded PC-guards for its traction system; and automobil traffic speed limit for drive-in and drive-under times!
All new innovations are bound to have some technical and external issues which technically can be surmounted during trials (just like the High Speed EMU & Signaling System for inter-city Trains that speed at 380km/hr)！Wishing China a successful innovation in mass public transportation system！
Looking at our Malaysian comments here I feel very sad as most of us still live under the tempurung and still think morally or technologically we are more advance than other people. While we try to find reasons to criticize them, they are moving forward and forward. What have we done? Think about that. Buying tech from other not a very proud achievement; building and creating it yourself is the pride and advancement no one can take away.
It’s a reputation they built based on what they have done in the past.