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China’s ‘Straddling Bus’ succumbs

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Beijing, June 23, 2017: The idea of a traffic-straddling bus in China was first introduced in 2010, but its impact could not be felt until 2016 when the Beijing International High-Tech Expo showcased the model.

The 22-meter-long Transit Elevated Bus (TEB) that gained worldwide attention was envisioned to allow cars to pass underneath .Its main goal was to ease traffic jams and regulate flow of traffic. The bus would be supported by two legs that run along rails laid along the roadside. It had a test run at a newly built site in Qinghuangdao’s Beidaihe District in August 2016. The test was followed by several other such initiatives on the track laid in Qinhuangdao’s Beidaihe district. But, it had been idle since October 2016.

From the very beginning, the project had gathered skepticism about its success and now, it has almost headed for the scrap yard. According to Chinese media, the test site is now being demolished entirely as the land contract is set to expire.

Many doubted the vehicle would be able to manage curves or fit under footbridges in Beijing, and critics have asked how it will turn corners, whether it is strong enough to bear its own and passengers’ weight and how long its battery would last.

There was also confusion about whether the project had ever been approved by the local authorities and there was even suspicion it could be an investment scam.

TEB Technology, the company that proposed the idea of the straddling bus, tried to extend the lease but was refused by local authorities. The residents in the neighborhood had been complaining about the traffic problems being caused due to the bus.

With this, China’s straddled bus dream reaches its deadlock.

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(With inputs from agencies)