Smart Move best practice

Metropolitan areas and business centres need fast and efficient collective transport to meet auto-mobility needs. BRT can transport passengers at the same speed per hour as an express tram or light rail system. The only differences are that a BRT project can be completed much faster, that it’s a much less expensive project and that it can put into operation with much greater flexibility.

BRT is a modular and flexible concept that can be custom-designed for each city. Municipalities need only set up several major routes for subsequent feeder lines (for standard buses) as well “park-and-ride” systems for commuters. Lanes and routes can be adapted and extended relatively easily to, for example, residential areas and SME districts. Furthermore, articulated and bi-articulated buses are much more flexible than a vehicle on rails. Just like any other bus, BRT vehicles are perfectly capable of leaving their own lane to rejoin traffic.

The major benefits of the BRT system:

Completion in one-and-a-half years
Much more economical and flexible than the underground
Standard buses also operate during off-peak periods
Infrastructure works are 20 times less expensive than for a metro [underground] line and 1/5 than for an express tram or light rail system.
Low operating costs
No government subsidies

Find more best practices in Doubling the use of collective passenger transport by bus and coach – practical solutions

Find more about the Bus Rapid Transit concept Bus_rapid_transit_EN.pdf (200.8 KB, Bus rapid transit_FR.PDF (724.7 KB), Bus rapid transit_NL.PDF (795.4 KB) (non-official translations)

Please send your examples of business innovations and best policy initiatives to the IRU Secretariat (remi.lebeda@iru.org) which will be considered for the second edition of the study to be published in the second semester of 2010.