Name: Pavitra A/P Nadaraja (259037) Group number : E8

: Wan Nur Syazwani Binti Mat Noor (267597) Topic: BUS RAPID TRANSIT
: Hazeera Nafisa Binti Mat Noor (267562) Submission Date: 29.04.2020

INTRODUCTION

Since the 1970s, as economic development and per capita income level improve, motor vehicle

ownership in every country is growing rapidly, causing serious traffic congestion, energy crisis,

lack of land resources, environment degradation and air pollution (L. Wright & W. Hook, 2007).

It has little impact on alleviating congestion by constructing new roads or widening existing roads,

and often worsens the traffic situation. Urban planning includes funding for public transit network.

But, the railway system, because of the huge investment and the difficulty to cover a large area in

limited time, has a limited capacity to transfer passengers; and regular bus systems have many

functional limitations like low operational efficiency and poor level service and so on (Cui, Gao

& Wang, 2010).

According to ( Wright & Hook, 2007), these days many decision makers of the city are looking

for the better high-quality transit mode to improve the efficiency of road resources and to improve

traffic congestions. Bus rapid transit is a new type and high efficient bus operator system and a

comprehensive mass transit system between the metro and regular bus systems, whose

transportation speed and capacity is close to the rail transportation and whose cost is close to the

general bus, is becoming more popular and welcome in many cities.

(Cui, Gao & Wang, 2010), mentioned that, BRT has been found one of public transport systems

with the most economic and efficient advantages in the world, and it can quickly build public

transport system and form a complete network, and can also provide fast and high-quality services

1
1.0 WHAT IS BUS RAPID TRANSIT

According to (Wright, 2003), BRT is a public transit mode that uses buses to provide a light rail

quality of service. BRT combines the flexibility and low cost of bus service with the comfort,

efficiency, cost effectiveness and versatility of LRT. BRT can operate with exclusive rights of

way, quieter and cleaner vehicles, rapid off-board fare collection, correct and attractive

infrastructure and short dwell times. The cost of a BRT project can be about one-third the cost of

a LRT project. BRT can be considered as a hybrid transit service falling between traditional rail

and bus modes.

A BRT system includes the following characteristics which is exclusive right of way, rapid

boarding and alighting, clean, secure, and comfortable stations and terminals , fast and efficient

fare collection, including fare less zones, collection at stations or on board vehicles, effective

regulations for bus operators , use of Intelligent Transportation Systems , transit priority at

signalized intersections, integration with other modes of transportation, adequate marketing and

customer service. When these characteristics are met, a BRT system can be considered to be as

versatile, flexible and comfortable as LRT systems (Hidalgo, 2002).

2
2.0 MAJOR ELEMENTS OF BRT

BRT is a flexible, rubber-tired rapid-transit mode that integrates vehicles, stations, route, fare, ITS

and services elements into an integrated system with a strong positive identity that evokes a unique

image.

a) BRT Vehicles

The BRT buses are typically uniform with bright colors to be easily identified and to show the

brand effect of the system. Vehicles with low floors are very convenient for passenger alighting

and boarding. The use of advanced articulated buses as long as 18-25m which could

accommodate 200-250 persons is intended to increase the capacity and lower the overall

operating cost. BRT systems in many cities are preferred to the low-emission and low-noise

buses that have less effect on the environment (Diez, Velandia, Roa , 2010).

3
b) Stations

The design of stations takes into account the safety, comfort and closure. The stations are

equipped with automatic ticketing and fare collection system outside the vehicles, Variable

Message Signal (VMS) and operating information system. The station's platforms meet the

vehicle's floors to allow for convenient alighting and boarding. The stations also have a quality

image and unique identity or significant architectural features that make the difference between

the regular stations to facilitate the identification of passengers ( Peng & Xie, 2010).

c) BRT Corridors

BRT vehicles operate on dedicated bus corridors to ensure that they control vehicle speed from

the impact of congestion. BRT corridors are the most critical element in determining the speed

and reliability of BRT services. Operating speed is 20- 35km/h, close to the speed of the rail.

And in the intersection, BRT vehicles have priority right of traffic lights to Increase their

operating speed said ( Teng & Meng, 2008).

4
d) Fare Collection

BRT system includes an integrated fare collection system of a ticketless system, magnetic strip

technology, and smart cards which are similar to the subway or light rail and other rail traffic

systems. Pre-board fare collection is used to allow for simultaneous alighting and boarding. In

the station, passengers can select the bus line freely. All these can reduce the time of

passengers' buying tickets and getting on, passengers' waiting time and vehicles' dwelling time

(L. Wright & W. Hook, 2007).

e) ITS Application

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) can greatly enhance the success of BRT systems. At

relatively modest costs, ITS can improve operation management and vehicle control and can

replace some of the functions provided by expensive and difficult to maintain physical

infrastructure, or other types of rapid transit. They can be used to convey passenger information

in a variety of venues, monitors, or control bus operations, provide priority at signalized

intersections, enhance safety and security on board vehicles and at stations, and even provide

guidance for BRT vehicles. ITS mainly aids operation management and vehicle control ((Ma

& G. Yang, 2007).

f) Service Plan and Operational Organizational

BRT systems usually can provide all-day, high frequency service. Service lines and schedules

can be adjusted according to the season, date and time to meet different needs of passengers.

5
3.0 BENEFITS OF BRT

When cities grow, mobility becomes a necessity and efficient public transport is a key to long-

term prosperity. In many cases, BRT, a Bus Rapid Transit system, is the ultimate solution. There

are some benefits of BRT that support growth and the population’s quality of life. Bus Rapid

Transit stands to reduce traffic congestion for drivers and provide faster travel times for transit

riders. Dedicated corridors remove buses from mixed traffic and provide an attractive alternative

to driving through some of the most congested parts of the metropolitan area.

Bus Rapid Transit systems benefit from the system's high flexibility with respect to

infrastructure and operation. The versatility of the bus as a means of transport allows for operating

programs in which bus lines leave the BRT transit way to merge with normal road traffic.

Dedicated infrastructure only needs to be built where it would potentially generate benefits, and

not along the entire corridor (Zhou & Gao, 2010). The infrastructure costs for BRT systems are

lower than those for comparable rail-bound means of transport, which frequently require high-cost

tunnels or elevated railway structures. BRT systems also benefit from lower operating costs, in

particular when maintenance structures and experienced staff from already existing conventional

bus systems are available.

Other than that, BRT benefits from less pollution. BRT contributes to better public health. The

emissions, counted per passenger, are only a fraction compared to travelling by car. With fewer

cars in the streets air quality will be tangibly improved. In addition, the BRT system contributes

to a better employment rate. The presence of efficient mobility attracts all kinds of businesses, and

with more companies come more job opportunities. New employees can be found in a wider area

when public transport works well (Huang, Xing & Meng, 2010).

6
4.0 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BRT AND LRT

The basic difference between the BRT and the LRT is that the BRT is a bus based service operated

on road and steered laterally by the driver, while the LRT is a rail based service operated and

guided by rails. Intuitively, this difference makes the construction and investment costs of LRT

more than the BRT and the flexibility. For example, limitation to rail track are more than the LRT.

(Vuchic & Hoboken, 2007) explained that, BRT can be executed in a shorter period when

compared to the LRT. BRT has less out of vehicle walking time and has less transfers than the

LRT as the station's spacing is less than the LRT. However, the previous advantages, especially

for developing countries, are enough to make the BRT service superior and many other factors

should be considered beside those advantages such as cost per mile, ridership, etc. For example,

for small growing cities, the unit cost per passenger for BRT is less than the LRT as studied at the

beginning of constructing Edmonton’s LRT (Kim & West, 1991).

In contrast, when comparing the final capital cost per mile for BRT and LRT projects, BRT

has less cost than the LRT when the construction does not require grade separation, elevated or

subway alignments but LRT has less cost when grade separation is required. On the other hand,

the higher investment cost for the LRT provides a better vehicle performance, more line

capacity, wider stations to fit the LRT vehicles and a stronger image to the public, due to the rail

track, than the BRT. LRT also provides spacious and more comfortable vehicles, better riding

quality than buses and sometimes it is acceptable in pedestrian areas than buses (Henry & Dobbs,

2007).

When assessing the environmental impacts of the BRT and LRT, it was found that the LRT is

more environment friendly than the BRT. However, BRT standard 2014 keeps in mind the

minimization of bus emissions for better BRT service (Stutsman, 2002). From a different

7
perspective, although LRT has positive land development impacts as a rail transit than the BRT.

BRT has a positive impact in revitalization of city centers by attracting economic activities and

can face the urban sprawl which in many researches, it may appear that BRT and LRT are

competing based on the differences mentioned earlier (Jun, 2012).

Meanwhile, some suggestions and studies showed that the benefits of implementing the mode

according to the conditions of the cities or combining these modes to maximize the benefits.

For instance, BRT is suggested for small to medium size cities and LRT is preferred in large cities

as discussed earlier in this section. Furthermore, BRT and LRT can be combined as one mode

which is called Rapid Light Transit (RLT) which can be adopted to operate buses and upgrade

latter to rails (McBrayer, 2003). In the same context, BRT is considered a successful investment

in both the developed and the developing countries and with high BRT ridership, the conversion

to LRT is suggested and buses can feed it.

BRT LRT

8
5.0 BUS RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM IN CURITIBA , BRAZIL

5.1 The Evolution of Curitiba's BRT

Thirty years ago, Curitiba’s forward-thinking and cost-conscious planners integrated public

transportation into all the other elements of the urban planning system. They initiated a system that

focused on meeting the transportation needs of all people rather than those using private

automobiles and consistently followed through with a staged implementation of their plan. They

avoided large-scale and expensive projects in favor of hundreds of modest initiatives (Vidal, 2010).

A previous comprehensive plan for Curitiba, developed in 1943, had envisioned exponential

growth in automobile traffic with wide boulevards radiating from the core of the city to

accommodate it. Rights of way for the boulevards were acquired, but many other parts of the plan

never materialized. Then in 1965, prompted by fears among city officials that Curitiba’s rapid

growth would lead to unchecked development and congested streets, they adopted a new Master

Plan. Curitiba would no longer grow in all directions from the core, but would grow along

designated corridors in a linear form, spurred by zoning and land use policies promoting high

density industrial and residential development along the corridors. Downtown Curitiba would no

longer be the primary destination of travel, but a hub and terminus (Scott Barton, Joseph P. Kubala,

2003).

Mass transit would replace the car as the primary means of transport within the city, and the

development along the corridors would produce a high volume of transit ridership. The wide

boulevards established in the earlier plan would provide the cross section required for exclusive

bus lanes in which an express bus service would operate (Joseph Goodman, Mellissa Laube, &

Judith Schenk, 2001).

9
5.2 THE BUSWAY SYSTEM

a) Bus Routes

The Curitiba busways are located along “structural axes” that comprise three roads, the central

one of which is a busway and service-access road. Busways are continuous along five corridors

or structural axes with a total length of 58 km. The central corridor consists of a central busway,

which is dedicated to exclusive use by buses and has a lane of traffic operating in each

direction. On either side of the busway are traffic lanes that are open to all vehicles and that

allow for access to the businesses and services fronting the corridor. Running parallel about a

block away from the central corridor are one-way road that are also open to all types of vehicles

and allow for rapid movement in a single direction (Joseph Goodman, Mellissa Laube, & Judith

Schenk, 2001).

The BRT system is adapted to this hierarchy of roads. Along the dedicated busways at the

center of the commercial corridors are the Express bus routes or Convencional High-capacity

bi-articulated buses run along these routes, serving the greatest number of passengers. Since

they do not have to contend with other forms of traffic, the Express buses average much higher

speeds than regular buses. Operating parallel to the Express line are the Direct (Ligeirinho)

buses, which run along the one-way streets about a block from the central corridor. Both

articulated and conventional buses run along these routes, making more frequent stops than

Express buses along the dedicated busways (Shah, 2002).

10
 Feeding into these two rapid bus lines are the Inter-neighborhood (Inter-barrios) and Feeder

(Alimentador) services. The buses on these routes circle the city, connecting residents in lower-

density areas to the primary bus routes along the commercial thoroughfares. The city also

operates a dedicated hospital bus line, connecting local health care facilities, as well as a system

of school buses and a system of tourist buses (Roman, 2011). On Sundays, a free bus service

shuttles which is residents from the downtown area to the city’s parks. All of the buses are

color-coded to indicate which route they follow:-

b) Passenger Facilities

i. Tube Stops

Each bus route is also served by a number of smaller bus stops. These appear at 500m

intervals along the Express route and somewhat less frequently in lower-density areas.

Most of the bus stops along the express and direct routes are equipped with GPS displays

that indicate in real time when the next bus will arrive. The bus stops share a characteristic

tubular design and offer protection from outdoor elements. Furthermore, bus stops are

raised, so that when boarding a bus, passengers are already at the appropriate level to climb

onboard. This tweak reduces the time a bus needs to wait at each stop and aids mothers

with prams, the elderly and wheelchair users.

11
 ii. Transfer Terminals

Transfer terminals serve to connect the feeder services with the rapid bus lines. Most of the

transfer terminals include convenience stores, post offices, and other commercial services.

Each city district, of which there are twelve, also has a transfer terminal called a

“Citizenship Street.” The Citizenship Street terminals provide a range of municipal

services in addition to the usual commercial operations, including health centers,

vocational training centers, legal assistance offices, and social service centers (Luis Lindau,

Dario Hidalgo & Daniela Facchini, 2010).

c) Fare Collection System

The “tube” stops and integration terminals are planned to avoid all fare collection on buses.

Payment of fares at stops (which applies to the express services off the busway as well as the

busway services) is at a manned turnstile at the stop entrance. Clearly, this has labor cost

implications, and smart card fare payment systems are scheduled for imminent introduction

(Smith & Hensher, 1998).

d) Service and Operations

Curitiba’s “bus rapid transit” system includes trunk line buses operating on the busways as

“express” services .The express services are segregated from other traffic. Shops are located

every 500 meters [1,640 feet] and integrated terminals every 4 kilometers [2.5 miles]. They are

reported to operate at a headway of 90 seconds during the peak periods.

12
 Direct services operating on the adjacent one-way arterial streets. Feeder buses serve the

arterial trunk lines on the five structural axes or corridors, but they are not given priority over

other traffic. Direct express bus services run along the one-way roads on each side of the central

roads that form the structural axes. These services feature fewer stops, and passengers pay

before boarding the buses in special raised tubular stations. The service was initiated in 1991

with four routes that parallel the busways. By 1995, there were 12 lines that served more than

225,000 daily trips (Washington, 1998).

e) Vehicles

The busway system is operated by a fleet of dedicated bi-articulated diesel buses. The bi-

articulated buses were introduced in 1992. The buses are long, with 157 bi-articulated (split

into three sections) and 29 single-articulated vehicles. There is a busway-dedicated fleet of

about 115. Curitiba Neo bus bodied bi-articulated Volvo B12M running with 100% biofuel.

At 28 meter, it is one of the world’s longest buses.

Each section structures train-like doors for rapid exchange of people. The bi-articulated

buses have five doubles-width doors on the conventional (right) side of the bus. Furthermore,

passenger capacity is about 270 including standees. Buses are constructed with only about 57

seats, because the aim of the crate line buses is to move large capacities of passengers. Journey

times on trunk line busways from external terminals to the city center are relatively short which

is about 20 minutes. Other than that, this buses are high floor, but because of the high platform

stops and fold-down ramp or door, passenger boarding and get off is level and gap free (Dong

& Xiong, 2011).

13
i. Type and Color of the Buses

 Super Express Bus - Blue (Expresso Ligeirão)

 Express Bus - Red (Expresso)

 Feeder Bus – Orange (Alimentador)

 Speedy Bus – Grey (Linha Direta)

14
  Inter-neighbourhood Bus – Green (Interbairros)

 Troncal/ Conventional Bus – Yellow (Alimentador)

f) BRT Usage

The Curitiba BRT system carries about 2 million passengers a weekday, compared to the 5

million passengers who use the New York subway system each weekday. The express buses

travel at an average speed of 20 kilometers per hour, transporting about 11,000 passengers per

hour per direction. Approximately 70% of the population relies on the system for their daily

commuting needs, including many car owners.

15
6.0 CONCLUSION

There is a growing number of bus rapid transit systems throughout the world. A review of these

experiences indicates that BRT can reduce saving times, attract new riders, and induce transit-

oriented development. It can be more cost effective and provide greater operating flexibility than

rail transit. BRT can also be a cost extension of rail transit lines. And it generally can provide

sufficient capacities to meet peak-hour travel demands in most U.S. corridors. There is, however,

a need for improvements in vehicle design and system identity.

The BRT systems of Curitiba is examples of effective urban transportation planning. Urban

planners recognized that even if growth in population cannot be controlled, the development of

infrastructure in the city can guide the city’s expansion. By approaching transportation as a tool

used to attain a greater solution rather than as a solution to an advancing problem, they were able

to implement an efficiently constructed, cost-effective transportation system that finances itself.

The cities use buses because they had traditions of using buses. While the systems are powered by

diesel, the reduction of the number of cars used compensates, if not surpasses, the difference in

carbon monoxide emissions. Like every city, Curitiba’s BRT system is plagued by overcrowded

buses during peak hours, but this is a relatively minor inconvenience in comparison to the extent

of service the BRT systems offer to residents.

16
 References

Peng & Xie. (2010). Guidance Algorithm of the BRT Vehicles Anchor the Station Based on Fuzzy

Control Theory. 7th International Conference on Fuzzy Systems and Knowledge

Discovery, (pp. 196-198).

Teng & Meng. (2008). A BRT Network Route Design Model . II th IEEE International Conference

on Intelligent Transportation Systems, (pp. 734-741).

Wright & Hook. (2007). Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Planning Guide. Journal of Institute for

Transportation and Development Policy.

(Ma & G. Yang. (2007). A Passive Transit Signal Priority Approach for Bus Rapid Transit System.

IEEE Intelligent Transportation Systems Conference, , (pp. 413-418).

Cui, Gao & Wang. (2010). Research of Bus Rapid Transportation based on 'public transportation

first. International Conference on Future Information Technology and Management

Engineering, (pp. 174- 177).

Diez, Velandia, Roa . (2010). Key for electrification of public transportation. Journal of Modem

trolleybuses on Bus Rapid Transit, 1-7.

Dong & Xiong. (2011). Bus rapid transit (BRT) and its real-time scheduling. . IEEE International

Conference on Service Operations, Logistics and Informatics.

Environmental Innovation and Management in Curitiba, Brazil,” Rabinovitch S., and Leitmann J.,

Working Paper, No 1 UNDP/UNCHS, (Habitat) World Bank, June 1993.

17
Henry & Dobbs. (2007). Sustaining the Metropolis of Comparative examination of new start light

rail transit, light railway, and bus rapid transit services opened from year 2000.

Transportation Research E-Circular, Transportation Research Board.

Hidalgo. (2002). Bogota and its Transportation System.

Huang, Xing & Meng. (2010). Travel time prediction for Bus Rapid Transmit using a statistics-

based probabilistic method. 2nd International Conference on Signal Processing Systems,

(pp. 457-460).

Hinebaugh, D. Characteristics of Bus Rapid Transit for Decision-Making. Federal Transit

Administration, Office of Research, Demonstration and Innovation. Project No.: FTA-FL- 26-

7109.2009.1, 2009.

Joseph Goodman, Mellissa Laube, & Judith Schenk. (2001). Issues in Bus Rapid Transit by United

States Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Journal of Demonstration and Innovation.

Jun. (2012). Redistributive effects of bus rapid transit (BRT) on development patterns and property

values in Seoul, Korea. Journal of Transport Policy, 85-92.

Kim & West. (1991). LRT: An Appropriate Choice? Canadian Public Policy/Analyse de

Politiques. 173-182.

L. Wright & W. Hook. (2007). Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Planning Guide and Institute for

Transportation and Development Policy.

L. Wright and W. Hook, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Planning Guide, Institute for Transportation

and Development Policy (!TOP), 2007

18
Luis Lindau, Dario Hidalgo & Daniela Facchini. (2010). Curitiba: The Cradle of Bus Rapid

Transit. 274.

McBrayer. (2003). Blurring the Light Rail Transit-Bus Rapid Transit Boundaries: Rapid Light

Transit Transportation . Journal of E-Circular Transportation Research Board, 135-147.

Roman, A. (2011, January 20). Curitiba, Brazil, ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE EARTH . Retrieved

from http://www.eoearth.org/article/Curitiba,_Brazil.

Scott Barton, Joseph P. Kubala. (2003, December 2). Bus-Rapid Transit Is Better Than Rail.

Retrieved from http://www.jtafla.com/JTAFuturePlans/Media/PDF/BRT

Shah, B. (2002, November 25). Bus Rapid Transit: A Sustainable Approach to Mass Transit .

Retrieved from http://www.gobrt.org/VancouverWashingtonBRT.pdf.

Smith & Hensher. (1998). The Future of Busways and the Brazilian Experience. Journal of

Institute of Transport .

Stutsman. (2002). Bus Rapid Transit or Light Rail Transit. Journal of the Transportation Research

Board, Issue Number: 1793, 55-61.

Tawfeek, Mostafa & Gouda, Maged. (2015). BRT versus LRT: A Comprehensive Overview and

Ridership Evaluation. 10.13140/RG.2.2.35567.43689.

Vidal, J. (2010, March 22). World’s Biggest Cities Merging into Mega-Regions. Retrieved from

UN Report:: t http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/22/un-cities-mega-regions.

Vuchic & Hoboken. (2007). Urban Transit Systems and Technology.

19
Washington. (1998). The Transit Metropolis . 280.

Wright. (2003). Bus Rapid Transit in Institute for Transportation and Development Policy.

Zhou & Gao. (2010). A Real-Time Information System for BRT Based on GPS/Signpost

Compound Navigation Technology. International Conference on Logistics Engineering

and Intelligent Transportation Systems, (pp. 1-4).

20
21