New horizons in public transport

Having returned from a tour of North America and India recently, I want to share some insights gained into the latest trends in public transport in those countries. Always a subject close to my heart, public transport is gaining ground in USA and Canada thanks to the rising cost of gasoline, traffic congestion and high parking charges. Leaving your car at home (or at the train station) seems an attractive proposition given the level of comfort and convenience afforded by public transport systems.

Public transport authorities are combating the rising gasoline/diesel costs in a variety of ways. I saw hybrid buses being used extensively in the US and Canada, which makes it possible to run longer distances using the same amount of fuel.

The buses are clearly marked as hybrid buses so that commuters know what they are getting into, literally. Hybrid buses are gaining popularity in other areas too - Volvo recently sold 200 hybrid buses to the main public transport company in Bogota, Colombia. These buses are near silent, comfortable and frequent. London in the UK even has a fleet of fuel cell (hydrogen) powered buses, which are also likely to spread to other cities worldwide.

Another unique example comes from Adelaide in Australia, where the City Council has pioneered a fleet of solar powered electric buses called Tindo. Although I have not yet experienced a ride on a Tindo bus, it is said to be one of the most innovative transit systems in use anywhere in the world. And it is completely free. The first solar-powered electric bus is recharged using 100 percent solar energy. The bus named Tindo, the Kaurna Aboriginal word for ‘sun’ is the newest addition to the Adelaide City Council's Connector Bus Service.

Energy

Manufactured by New Zealand company Designline International, the bus doesn't have a combustion engine which makes it a very quiet, zero emissions vehicle. Other features of the vehicle include a regenerative braking system, saving up to 30 percent energy consumption. It features high quality, state-of-the-art components sourced from some of the world's leading transport and technology companies. This system is the largest grid connected solar photovoltaic system in the State, and means the bus is also carbon neutral. Tindo is air-conditioned and can carry up to 40 passengers, with 25 standard seats, two seats especially designed for differently-abled passengers and room for 13 standing passengers. The bus saved the Council over 14,000 litres of diesel and the environment over 70,000kg of CO2-e in its first year. Tindo is able to travel about 200 kilometres between recharges under typical urban conditions. It also has wireless internet capability making it possible for passengers to easily access the internet free during travel time.

Completely electric buses are also being deployed on shorter routes. One example comes from Quebec City in Canada, which uses small all-electric buses on a circular route covering the Old City. Carrying only around 20 seated and standing passengers, this is an ideal solution for short city runs or loops.

The ‘Ecolobus’ ride costs a flat CAN$ 1. Quebec and Montreal are also testing a new long range electric bus system - the ultra-quiet, BYD Electric. The program in Québec is being coordinated by a consortium called AVT which was formed by Quebec's nine transit corporations for evaluating of advanced, zero-emissions public transit technologies. Initial full-revenue, service and field testing will run for approximately 10 months, starting from this month on routes into the Capital City of Ottawa.

In Montreal, the BYD vehicle will operate until May 2014 along routes in different sectors on weekdays, especially in the winter. It will be instrumented and assessed on different types of routes with varying slopes, frequent stops and high ridership.

Streetcars (trams) are also making a comeback in many cities around the world. It is a neat solution to traffic woes. Basically a train that runs on normal roads, albeit on an especially built track, each streetcar can transport more than 200 passengers at a time.

Tramcar

Colombo did have a tramcar network which is unfortunately no longer operational. Once in a while, the old tracks resurface at some points in Colombo. It can be termed as a great mistake - establishing an electric streetcar system from scratch is prohibitively expensive. Some Asian countries are also starting monorail services - Mumbai will have one from this month. New Delhi, which already has a good metro rail system, wants to have a monorail system as well by 2017.

Our transport authorities have deployed several luxury buses on inter-city and inner city routes, which have proved to be very popular despite the higher ticket prices. This is a step in the right direction that may encourage car owners to take the bus, at least occasionally. The recent introduction of ‘stored value’ (prepaid) cards for bus travel is also praiseworthy. The authorities should explore the possibility of introducing fuel-saving hybrid and electric buses to the fleet.

After all, private car owners have warmed up to hybrids in large numbers and it is no longer an ‘alien’ concept. Another irritant in these parts of the world is the lack of a reliable taxi system. Every good city should have a good taxi network - definitely not three wheelers. It should be possible to hail a proper taxi (with four wheels) anywhere in the city or get into one at a dedicated taxi stand. New York is the best example I know of, but London, Singapore and Tokyo are very close.

Even with a glut of reasonably cheap taxis or A/C buses on the road, most people would not want to part with their cars. If you watch the traffic closely, you will notice that most cars on the road have only one person - the driver. Imagine the quantity of fuel being consumed collectively by these single-passenger vehicles. But what are the steps that can be taken to encourage car owners to take more passengers along? The promise of a faster ride often does the trick.

This is exactly what Toronto has done, by marking the fastest lane on most highways especially for vehicles with two or more persons. The premise is that you can reach your destination faster if there is a person in the passenger seat. Sole occupant vehicles that use this lane are nabbed by police.

This is another step that our authorities can consider, at least during rush hour. Moreover, some cities levy a charge on single-passenger vehicles that enter the city centre in addition to hefty parking charges. There is indeed a lot our planners can learn from other countries when it comes to public transport and traffic management.