CHAPTER 11 Buses

1. CHAPTER 11Buses GUIDELINES FOR PASSENGER TRANSPORT IN SOUTH AFRICA A MULTI MODAL ANALYSIS

2. 11.1 Introduction • Most widely used form of public transport • Technical and operational characteristics • Most buses have two axles and a total of six wheels • Bus capacity, typically about 70 • may vary between about 25 (midibus) and 125 spaces (articulated bus) • most common propulsion is by diesel motor • Electric propulsion from overhead wires (trolley bus) is much less common

3. vast majority of buses operate on streets, in mixed traffic • increasing number of cities have reserved and separated bus lanes for heavily travelled routes • highest category is the busway, a roadway used exclusively by buses.

4. 11.2 General Characteristics of buses • Ability to operate on most streets • contain their own power plant Advantages of buses over other public transport modes • routes can be placed on any street as demand requires • stops can be placed at many points. • Temporary reroutings are also relatively easy

5. Disadvantages of buses over other public transport modes • ability of buses to mix with other traffic makes it more difficult to separate buses where their operation would require such treatment than is the case with guided modes • Because they “blend” with other traffic and their routes have no fixed facilities • diesel buses have a weak identity and image.

6. Low investment cost • minimal route infrastructure makes rapid introduction, changes, and extensions of bus routes and stops easy • Also low permanence and usually little influence of (diesel) bus lines on land use and urban form

7. Moderate capacity • transport units (TUs) make buses the ideal mode for lightly to moderately travelled public transport routes • services that require TUs with capacities of 15 to 60 spaces • But when passenger volumes are high, buses become uneconomical because of their limited vehicle capacity

8. 11.3.1 Classification by propulsion systems • the diesel motor (diesel bus / motorbus), and electric motor (trolley bus).

9. (a) Diesel buses • Superior characteristics: • ruggedness, • simplicity, • economical operation and • easy maintenance.

10. Disadvantages: • exhaust, • vibration and • noise production. • Note: Recent models have been produced which have greatly reduced negative effects: some of them meet rigorous air pollution standards, produce low noise levels, and have very little vibration.

11. (b) Trolley buses / Duo-buses • Electrically powered vehicles which obtain power via trolley poles from two overhead wires (+ and -) • excellent operating characteristics of electric traction: • rapid and smooth acceleration and deceleration, • no noise or exhaust fumes, • low vehicle maintenance costs and • high durability

12. Disadvantages: • they require a higher investment and • line maintenance cost.

13. 11.3.2 Classification by type of body (a) Standard single-deck bus • The most common type of bus (and trolley bus) is a single-deck body • two axles • six wheels • capacity of 50 - 60 seated passengers. • The allowance for standing passengers can vary from 0 to 50 depending on circumstances.

14. (b) Articulated bus Arrticulated bus, compared with a standardbus, provides: • + Higher line capacity. • + Higher labour productivity (lower cost per space-km). • + Similar geometric movement characteristics. • - Sometimes lower acceleration and climbing abilities (depends on motor power). • - Lower riding comfort, particularly in the rear section. • - Somewhat lower stability at high speeds and/or in sharp turns.

16. The main factors for their introduction are: • required capacity and • operating costs per space-km: • their inherent advantage over standard buses in both of these makes articulated buses the best vehicles for heavily travelled routes.

18. (c) Double-decker bus Double-deckers, compared with standard buses, have: • + Higher capacity, particularly seating, for the same vehicle length. • + An attractive view for passengers on the upper deck. • + Little disturbance on the upper deck from passenger movements, particularly useful for longer trips.

19. - Greater vehicle height, requiring higher clearances. • -Inconvenience of ascending and descending the stairway during bus movement. • - More difficult supervision of the upper deck (possible by driver via a periscope). • - More constrained passenger circulation, making doubledeckers less convenient for routes with heavy passenger turnover.

20. (d) Midibus • The midibus is a 5 to 7 metre long vehicle • total capacity of 20 to 35 passengers • no trolley buses of this type. • Note: In 1999, the South African Government announced a large ‘recapitalisation” programme to replace minibus-taxis with midibuses. This programme, which involved an initial funding of R3,2 billion, (later raised to R8 billion) is discussed in the chapter on minibus-taxis.

22. 11.4 Diesel Buses - Some Operational Issues • Decline in market share (in terms of the journey-to-work) of the bus mode, from 12% to 9% between 1998 and 2003. Result • higher levels of traffic congestion, • longer journey times and • higher costs in general

23. Factors that are relevant to the problem. They include: • The image of bus operations in general • Environmental characteristics • The poor organisational performance of bus management

24. 11.4.1 The image of bus operations in general • communities that they serve take them for granted and regard them as part of the ‘street furniture”. • The fact that they also operate virtually everywhere under category C conditions reduces their operational performance. • In addition to the noise problem is the effect of gear changing, which is always accompanied by a change in engine pitch.

25. 11.4.2 Environmental characteristics • revving engines and • overpowering exhausts • other factors such as the presence of litter, beggars and a lack of security

26. 11.4.3 The poor organisational performance of bus management • ineffectiveness of transport management • general lack of enthusiasm for promoting the cause • for many years the bus industry has been a target for subsidy cuts. • demoralised bus transport managers • lead to reductions in service and a tendency to buy the cheapest vehicles or to rebuild older ones

27. 11.5 Diesel bus developments and improvements • Diesel bus manufacturers have raised quality standards. • Many new developments have shaped the modern diesel bus. These have included: • modular concepts • combination of different materials • low-floor construction • improved shapes • more comfort features cont’

28. driving position with better ergonomics • more safety features • new motive power solutions. • Going modular has also made it easier to meet the requirements of different customers.

29. Most buses and coaches are now characterised by innovative combinations of: • steel (which is now less than 50% by weight), • plastics (front and rear end, roof), • aluminium (doors) and other materials.

30. Low-floor construction • originally for mothers with push chairs, elderly and handicapped people. • also speeds up the loading and off-loading of passengers, allowing operators of urban bus services to use fewer vehicles and drivers. • Increased comfort • better seats and backrest support

31. Ticketing and other passenger aids are now all within easy reach • Information systems have been greatly improved • Exhaust emissions have also been considerably reduced

32. 11.6 Conclusion • While technical improvements to diesel buses, such as quieter engines, automatic gears and other refinements are desirable, in themselves they will not solve the problems of the mode. • Holistic approach is necessary – bus role within the hierarchy of modes transport modes.

33. Better frequencies, many new routes and better marketing are also required. • This study suggests that the presence of high-image modes in an integrated system will help to improve the image of the diesel bus component.

34. The role of trolley buses and duo-buses should receive attention from planners and operators. • This is an area which has been neglected up to now.