GRT Operational Plan

Contents

• Flexible buses
• BRT route selection
• BRT route coverage
• Routes with 12m buses

Flexible buses

High capacity BRT buses will be procured that can operate both in mixed traffic and also on the special BRT trunk corridors. Under this approach Guangzhou's bus passengers, currently accustomed to a low volume of transfers, will not be forced to make more transfers with the introduction of BRT, and large transfer terminals will not be needed.

Guangzhou's bus routes are well-adjusted to meet demand, and major changes to bus routes will not be necessary for the BRT implementation.

In identity, performance, capacity, and speed the system will be like the world's best BRT system, TransMilenio, though metro integration and other innovations will be unique to Guangzhou. But in operations, unlike in TransMilenio, TransJakarta, Beijing or Hangzhou BRTs, the Guangzhou BRT buses will be 'flexible buses' enabling them to operate both inside and outside the BRT corridors. The concept is illustrated in the figure below for buses with doors in both sides (this will require changing a national regulation), or alternatively for buses with doors on only the right side (if the national regulation cannot be changed in time).

Bus routes in the BRT will be based on the current routes. However (unlike in 'open' systems such as Seoul, Brisbane, Kunming or Sao Paulo), only the special BRT buses will be allowed to use the BRT infrastructure.

This operational plan has the advantage of meeting the current passenger demand and providing a high capacity service while not forcing passengers to transfer from trunk to feeder routes.

Under this proposed flexible system, BRT operators will be required to use articulated 18m buses (or in some cases 12m BRT buses will be used, for routes outside the city centre or routes with a relatively low frequency) meeting system specifications. This will include distinctive buses with a unique system identity. Preference in bidding for operating rights will be given to operators who already operate buses in the BRT corridor, especially the 23 routes already identified in the conceptual plan. Where operators already have route permits in the BRT corridor a negotiation will be undertaken to persuade them to invest in 18m articulated BRT buses and to redeploy existing 12m buses operating in the corridor to other routes.

BRT route selection

Routes have been selected for inclusion in the BRT based on the frequency of service (buses per hour per direction; the x axis on the chart below) and the percentage of the route in the BRT corridor (y axis on the chart below). The results of this analysis are presented in the chart below for both the Phase I and proposed Phase II BRT, and includes the 23 routes in Zhongshan Av which have been selected for Phase I. These routes generally have a peak frequency of more than 6 buses per hour (in one direction) and more than 30% of their length inside the BRT corridor. The other routes shown below relate to the Phase II BRT corridor along Dongfeng Road, Huangpu Avenue, Jiefang / Jichang Rd, and Sanyuanli Avenue.

BRT route coverage

Passengers could transfer at any BRT station onto any BRT bus. BRT buses can be accessed both inside (with left-side doors) and outside (with right-side doors) the BRT corridor.

Transfers to and from the Metro will also be possible from within a BRT or Metro station at several locations.

Routes with 12m buses

Seven BRT routes will have 12m BRT buses rather than the standard 18m BRT articulated buses. Routes with 12m buses were selected based on a consideration of the total trip time, and the service frequency.

Routes with 12m BRT buses will be: 18, 33, 178, 214, 240, 570, 571 . All other routes will have 18m BRT buses.