COMPARISON OF LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT AND DUAL-MODE BUS SYSTEM

This paper outlines 3 conditions that may be used in deciding whether to select light rail transit on dual-mode buses for a given area: (A) Total traffic volume at peak up to 9,000 passengers per hour and direction is a decision in favor of buses and track-guided buses; (B) Total traffic volume at peak of between 9,000 and 18,000 passengers per hour and direction is a transitional zone between guided bus and light rail systems. Guided buses should be preferred because of their cost advantages: (a) low investment costs, (b) short time required for construction, (c) ability to use completed sections of the system at once, (d) ability to integrate a guided bus system into an existing bus operation, and (e) low cost of operation. (C) Total traffic volume at peak more than 18,000 passengers per hour and direction means a decision in favor of light rail rapid transit because larger units can be formed. If the total traffic volume is going to increase slowly, the existing bus system in condition B should be developed into a dual-mode bus system light rail system. In the case of a rapid increase in total traffic volume, each case must be carefully examined to determine whether an immediate change of a route to a fully fledged light rail system might not be more economical. With regard to the investment costs a bus system is more profitable than a light rail rapid transit system because route investments are only necessary on route sections where separate roadways are considered to be requisite and prices for vehicles are relatively low because of mass production in a modular system. The decisions depend on a whole range of different criteria. It should, however, be pointed out that a high level of transport performance can be achieved with guided buses. As a result of the extreme flexibility of the dual-mode bus system (freedom of choice for duo-bus, track-guided bus, or dual-mode bus), this system is an excellent, highly advanced transitional system for urban transit today. The possibility of a later change to light rail can always be kept in mind.