Practical experience of guided bus operation Online publication date: Mon, 26-May-2014
by R.G. Crawford
International Journal of Vehicle Design (IJVD), Vol. 11, No. 4/5, 1990
Abstract: West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive (WMPTE) operated a guided-bus experiment in public service from October 1984 to September 1987, as part of a 'route enhancement project' designed to try to increase bus usage. The service used conventional MCW double-deck Metrobuses fitted with guidance arms on the front axle. These vehicles could operate both in a specially constructed reserved trackway and on normal roads. The paper indicates some of the constraints on the West Midlands experiment and gives some of the rationale underlying the choice of system. It then details the practical experience of operating the system, both vehicles and trackway. The benefits arising from the experiment are also examined. Within its terms of reference, the experiment was a complete success, although this was almost certainly mainly due to factors unrelated to the bus guidance system. No major technical problems were encountered, the safety record was excellent, and passengers particularly appreciated the ease of boarding the vehicle. The experiment was discontinued following UK Bus deregulation.
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