BRT System Grows in China


In Lianyungang, six 18m-long natural gas vehicles began operating on Lianyungang’s BRT Line B1, Line B1K and the night route of B1 on March 1, 2014. Two buses were added to Line B1 and four to Line B1K and the night route of B1. Line B1 will add eight shifts while Line B1K and the night route of B1 will add 16 shifts. At present, there are 30 18m-long buses in the system, mostly operating on the main Line 1.

Also successful, the BRT system in Lanzhou has been in operation for over a year. At present, the daily number of BRT passengers averages a high of 120,000, spiking once at 142,000 passengers in a day. Large-capacity express buses are able to carry more passengers than regular buses. Seventy buses run about 665 laps on average every day, replacing the 200 regular buses which previously served the same area. BRT buses navigate traffic in designated BRT bus lanes at 20.2 km per hour, faster than the 15.6 km per hour average speed of regular buses. Therefore a single trip is shortened from 35 minutes to only 27 minutes. Lanzhou will increase investment in transport infrastructure and accelerate the construction of six BRT bus lanes.

Seeing how well these systems can operate in urban China, Nanning will develop its own BRT system and implement a number of new bus stations and natural gas buses in the capital city of Guangxi. Last year, Nanning purchased 300 new air-conditioned buses and built 392 waiting benches for buses. The city also removed 253 old buses and upgraded 409 heavily polluting buses. In 2014, the city will purchase more than 400 liquefied natural gas buses and build 300 bus stops and 200 waiting benches for buses. Nanning will promote the construction of a dispatch center, a BRT system and designated bus lanes.


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