Long-time CC readers may remember our post on Pittsburgh’s “Skybus” – an early attempt at an elevated busway that, unfortunately, didn’t pan out. Here in the Japanese city of Nagoya, a similar system has been in service for the past twenty-two years – and its future continues to look bright.
First, let’s take a look at why Nagoya chose this option. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is now one of the more successful alternatives to increasing both the speed and capacity of urban transit. But it requires sufficient space for a dedicated bus through-way. Japan’s constricted roads, with structures built right up to the curb in many places, makes it difficult to find space for these bus-only lanes. So like with many other things in Japan when it comes to space and geography, if you can’t “go out, go up.”
The entire line consists of both elevated and regular street sections – the elevated section is 6.5 kilometers long and has nine stations. The dark blue line on the map denotes the elevated portion.
The current bus used is a Hino “Blue Ribbon City” – one of the more popular urban transit models in Japan. It uses a parallel hybrid powertrain with a four cylinder Hino diesel combined with a 90 kw electric motor. As it’s a low-floor model, batteries are stored on the roof. Length is 10.5 meters and a width of 2.5. Twenty-two passengers can be seated and another 53 standing. This bus is manufactured jointly with Isuzu.
Before entering the busway, guide wheels deploy just in front of the front wheels. The driver only operates the throttle. Buses can reach a top speed of 60 kph on the elevated portion.
Here’s the entry/exit point.
Next trip to Nagoya I’m planning on taking a ride.
I visited Nagoya a few times, the last about 12 years ago. I don’t recall seeing the elevated bus line. Perhaps I walked under it and though it was just another elevated expressway!
Any Curbsider visiting Nagoya should set aside the better part of a day to go through the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology. Half of the museum is about textile manufacturing, which is where Toyota got its start. The other half is about making cars. It’s like a factory tour you can take at your own pace.
I’m a fan of coach buses but this intercity looks great.
Congratulations to the japanese.
Very interesting, thanks, it instantly reminds me of Disneyland’s Autopia but with side guides instead of the center one. And far cleaner than the old two-strokes they use(d)…
The guided part aspect is what interests me most, a normal elevated road would serve the same purpose but perhaps would need to be wider to provide the driver more “wiggle room” and have more protective elements such as larger barriers if I’m understanding it correctly. We have a dedicated bus road here in Fort Collins for a sort of express bus (the MAX) that has its own (dedicated) roadway (not elevated) but is wider and not elevated next to some train tracks. This causes havoc at times as within a very short distance the perpendicular traffic has to contend with an active train crossing, a bus crossing, and then a regular traffic-light intersections just next to it as well and another less than a couple hundred yards away. So potentially four items crossing all with a short distance, none of which are really synced up in any noticeable fashion.
As a transit fan it’s now on the list when/if we get to Nagoya, the one in Tokyo that comes the closest that we rode on recently was the “New Shuttle” out by the Railway Museum, which is more of a tram/train on tires, perhaps most analagous to some U.S. airport inter-terminal shuttle systems.
Jim, a great profile of a unique transit solution to traffic congestion. I like it, well thought out. The video was recorded during off peak midday, not a true test of the system’s efficiency. As I find the buses small, and seating capacity limited, for a best transit experience for riders during rush hour. Most people can expect to be standing during the busy periods.
Also, as a rider I find there are more steps to board and exit than ideal, unlike most flat floor low floor buses. A shortcoming of the bus choice, not the system. The sharp curve heading into the station is unfortunate. Slows the buses, and passengers will lean into each other. This raised road system could work in locations that get snow. Would require, added maintenance.
With refinement, I could see a system like this, efficiently serving larger cities. Without the need to go underground.