Evaluation of Bus Rapid Transit Implementation in China: Current Performance and Progress

This paper evaluates the physical characteristics, technical performance, and operational issues associated with bus rapid transit (BRT) systems implemented in 13 Chinese cities. BRT systems in China have shown medium performance; the peak ridership averaged 5,874 passengers/h/direction, and the peak hour speed averaged 20.2 km/h. Compared with Latin American BRT systems, Chinese BRT systems operate at a comparable speed but carry much fewer passengers. The empirical analysis of Chinese BRT systems implies that the technical performance of BRT is not significantly related with urban size. This paper gives some evidence that overtaking lanes and shared lanes have significant impacts on peak ridership and frequency, and long station-spacing has a positive impact on peak hour speed. Although BRT has become a viable option of transportation improvement, some notable disadvantages identified in Chinese BRT design and operation should be taken into consideration for improving BRT implementation.