China to launch 3-D bus that can seat over 1,000 passengers

British media have recently reported on China’s newly proposed “3-D bus”, believing that its launching will help alleviate traffic jams facing many a Chinese city. The vehicle is expected to seat about 1400 passengers and is only 1/10 the cost of underground railway.

Its designer, a Shenzhen-based company, is reportedly being negotiating with the district government of Mentougou, a satellite town of Beijing, on making the area a national demonstration base.

The new vehicle will roll at 60-80km/h, almost three times faster than ordinary buses.

 Its most eye-catching feature, however, is that it allows cars to run beneath it, provided that their height does not exceed the 2-meter limit. According to Song Youzhou, general manager of the company, the daily passenger capacity of the transporter may well match that of the underground railway at a dramatically reduced cost. Moreover, the new concept transporter is solar-powered and capable of emergency braking. When cars beneath it get too close to the rails on which the transport runs, a warning will be triggered off for other vehicles to respond in time.

Although use of the transporter might reduce traffic jams by 20-30%, its 4.5 meter height makes its safe passage through bridges and tunnels a real problem. This, according to Mr. Song, can be solved by lowering the level of the road surface.