[sustran] Re: Open Versus Closed Busways

[Lee Sims]

OPEN AND CLOSED BUSWAYS
The right solution for any busway system depends upon local circumstances
including geography, types of facilities constructed and operators. A busway
which is open to all operators offers the possibility of maximizing its use
and its benefits. A closed busway gives the operator the opportunity to have
tighter control over the operations.
I can offer you some discussion of experience with two busways with which I
am fairly familiar, Bogota and Ottawa.
BOGOTA
Before the Transmilenio system was inaugurated, Bogota had an open busway.
It carried large volumes of buses and people but it had a number of
problems:
* Fares were collected on entry to the vehicles, increasing stop dwell times
and reducing capacity.
* The various private operators had a variety of buses in their fleet. All
of them were smaller than the existing Transmilenio vehicles. This increased
the number of vehicles required to carry the volume, creating capacity
problems.
* Buses were uneven in quality.
* There were frequent breakdowns of vehicles on the busway.
* Stopping positions at stations were disorganized.
The Transmilenio system which replaced these busways offers a number of
advantages:
* High platform direct entry to the high platform buses, reducing dwell
times.
* Off board fare collection, at the entry to the stations, again
significantly reducing dwell times and increasing control.
* Improved state of the vehicles and an overall improved image.
* A more legible and intelligible system.
* The ability to implement various skip stop operations.
The buses on Transmilenio are still operated by private contractors. These
private contractors are only responsible for operating the vehicles with
other agencies responsible for all other aspects of the project.
OTTAWA
Ottawa was one of the first BRT systems with operations starting in 1982. It
has an extremely high modal split for a city of its size in North America.
There are three main busways plus other sections of reserved lanes for buses
on expressways. The urban bus operator, OC-Transpo, has a monopoly on urban
services so there was never a question of providing a completely open
busway. Ottawa does, however, permit intercity carriers to utilize their
busways but this is subject to a number of conditions:
* The various companies have to make suitable arrangements with OC-Transpo
with respect to insurance, liability and other responsibility issues.
* Individual drivers have to take a special training course to qualify to
use the Transitways.
* Stops for intercity buses are only permitted at specified locations.
At almost all stations on the Transitway in Ottawa, there is a bypass lane
at stations so the intercity buses (and urban express buses) can pass
stopping vehicles.
BUS RAPID TRANSIT
It really depends on what you want to do, build a road for buses or operate
a Bus Rapid Transit system. Both are legitimate objectives. A busway by
itself can improve public transit services across a wide area. Providing
rapid transit using bus technology, however, implies a much larger systems
approach through providing:
* Superior vehicles.
* A uniform fare system.
* An overall information system.
* Better control and passenger information.
The subject can be summarized as selecting the best "horses for courses".

Lee Sims - Director
IBI Group
230 Richmond St. West, 5th Floor
Toronto, Ontario
M5V 1V6

Tel: 416.596.1930 [x417]
Fax: 416.596.0644
E-mail: lsims at ibigroup.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Jonathan E. D. Richmond [mailto:richmond at alum.mit.edu]
Sent: November 20, 2007 2:47 AM
To: Sustran List; UTSG at JISCMAIL.AC.UK; PLANET
Subject: Open Versus Closed Busways


We are in the process of writing Terms of Reference for study and
implementation of a new Busway/BRT system in Mauritius to serve the dense
and highly congested suburban corridor stretching from the capital city,
Port Louis, to the town of Curepipe to the south. We have a disused rail
right of way which we will be using.

Last year, we held consensus forums with twenty major stakeholders, which
resulted in a recommendation to proceed with an open busway -- this means
that existing operators who meet strict service standards we propose to
fix will be allowed to operate routes starting or finishing off the
busway, while using the busway for express operations.

I would very much welcome information and advice from anyone on issues
connected with open busway operation. I am concerned to hear that a number
of BRT systems have been started on an "open" concept, but not been
successful -- information on reasons for success or failure would be very
useful.

There are reasons to go for an "open" approach beyond the clear political
rationale that this will promise future participation for existing bus
operators and their labor. Many residential areas lie beyond the immediate
reach of the busway, while direct service -- without the need for
connections at busway stations -- is likely to be most attractive to those
currently driving to work. Direct services would also cut down for the
need for complex interchange facilities and parking at the busway stations
themselves -- and this may be important as there is limited space
available at a numnber of the locations.

We are concerned about how we might run the facility to permit the maximum
efficient throughput of buses while avoiding congestion. Would a signal
system run by a central control centre be one appropriate approach? Has
anyone tried this?

One option would be to provide passing lanes at all stations so that buses
coming from beyond the busway could operate express to Port Louis while
avoiding causing congestion at stations. We might even be able to combine
"closed" and "open" concepts, with an "all-stations" service operated by
one operator or consortium, while other operators use the facility as an
expressway but do not serve intermediate stations.

Any informal ideas would be much appreciated. If you are not already on
our informal mailing list and might potentially be interested in offering
consulting services, please also feel free to ask to be added to the list,
although you should note that we are planning extensive international
advertising of the project according to formal procurement rules.

Many thanks,

                       --Jonathan

-----
Jonathan Richmond
Transport Adviser to the Government of Mauritius
Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Land Transport and Shipping
Level 4
New Government Centre
Port Louis
Mauritius

+230 707-1134 (Mauritius mobile)
+230 288-2942 (Mauritius home)
+1 (617) 395-4360 (US phone number)

e-mail: richmond at alum.mit.edu
http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/