Bus rapid transit (BRT, BRTS, busway) is a bus-based mass

transit system. A true BRT system generally has specialized

design, services and infrastructure to improve system quality and
remove the typical causes of delay. Sometimes described as a
"surface subway", BRT aims to combine the capacity and speed
of light rail or metro with the flexibility, lower cost and simplicity of
a bus system.
To be considered BRT, buses should operate for a significant part
of their journey within a fully dedicated right of way (busway) to
avoid traffic congestion. In addition, a true BRT system has most
of the following elements:

Alignment in the center of the road (to avoid typical curb-side

delays)

Stations with off-board fare collection (to reduce boarding

and alighting delay related to paying the driver)

Station platforms level with the bus floor and multiple bus
doors for entry (to reduce boarding and alighting delay caused
by steps and queueing)

Bus priority at intersections (to avoid intersection signal

delay)

The first BRT system was the Rede Integrada de

Transporte ('Integrated Transportation Network') in Curitiba,

Brazil, which entered service in 1974. This inspired many similar

systems around Brazil and the world, such
as TransMilenio in Bogot, Colombia, which opened in 2000. As
of October 2014, 186 cities in six continents have implemented
BRT systems, accounting for 4,757 km (2,956 mi) of BRT lanes.
[2]

It is estimated that about 31.7 million passengers use BRT

worldwide everyday, of which about 19.7 million passengers ride

daily in Latin America, which has the most cities with BRT
systems, with 60, led by Brazil with 33 cities.[2]
The many differences and distinct features among existing BRT
systems motivated the Institute for Transportation and
Development Policy to form a BRT Standard Technical
Committee in 2011, and to do further work in 2013. The ITDP set
a minimum definition of what features must be part of a system to
qualify as BRT, and created a BRT Standard to rate existing
systems.

"Bus Rapid Transit" takes its name from rail rapid transit, which
describes a high-capacity urban public-transit system with its
own right of way, multiple-car vehicles at short headways, and
longer stop spacing than traditional streetcars and buses. BRT
uses buses on a wide variety of rights-of-way, including mixed
traffic, dedicated lanes on surface streets, and busways
separated from traffic.

The expression "BRT" is mainly used in the Americas and China;

in India, it is called "BRTS" (BRT System); in Europe, it is often
called a "busway"; in Australia it is often called a "T-Way" (short
for Transit Way); while in Ireland and elsewhere,[where?] it may be
called a "quality bus".
Critics have charged that the term "bus rapid transit" has
sometimes been misapplied to systems that lack most or all the
essential features which differentiate it from conventional bus
services. The term "bus rapid transit creep" has been used to
describe severely degraded levels of bus service which fall far
short of the BRT Standard promoted by the Institute for
Transportation and Development Policy and other organizations.
Rapid transit, also known as metro, subway, heavy
rail or underground is a type of high-capacity public transport
generally found in urban areas. Unlike buses or trams, rapid
transit systems are electric railways that operate on an
exclusive right-of-way, which cannot be accessed by pedestrians
or other vehicles of any sort,[4] and which is often grade
separated in tunnels or on elevated railways. Modern services on
rapid transit systems are provided on designated lines
between stations typically using electric multiple units on rail
tracks, although some systems use guided rubber tyres, magnetic
levitation, or monorail. The stations typically have high platforms,
without steps inside the trains, requiring custom-made trains in
order to avoid gaps. They are typically integrated with other public

transport and often operated by the same public transport

authorities. However, some rapid transit systems have at-grade
intersections between a rapid transit line and a road or between
two rapid transit lines.[5] It is unchallenged in its ability to transport
large numbers of people quickly over short distances with little
use of land. Variations of rapid transit include people movers,
small-scale light metro, and the commuter rail hybrid S-Bahn.

A right-of-way is a right to make a way over a piece of land,

usually to and from another piece of land. A right of way is a type
ofeasement granted or reserved over the land
for transportation purposes, this can be for a highway,
public footpath, rail transport, canal, as well as electrical
transmission lines, oil and gas pipelines.[1] A right-of-way can be
used to build a bike trail. A right-of-way is reserved for the
purposes of maintenance or expansion of existing services with
the right-of-way. In the case of an easement, it may revert to its
original owners if the facility is abandoned.
Headway is a measurement of the minimum possible distance or
time between vehicles in a transit system, without a reduction in
the speed of vehicles. The precise definition varies depending on
the application, but it is most commonly measured as the distance
from the tip of one vehicle to the tip of the next one behind it,
expressed as the time it will take for the trailing vehicle to cover
that distance. A "shorter" headway signifies a more frequent
service. Freight trains might have headways measured in parts of
an hour, metro systems operate with headways on the order of 1

to 5 minutes, and vehicles on a freeway can have as little as 2

seconds headway between them.
Headway is a key input in calculating the overall route capacity of
any transit system. A system that requires large headways has
more empty space than passenger capacity, which lowers the
total number of passengers or cargo quantity being transported
for a given length of line (railroad or highway, for instance). In this
case, the capacity has to be improved through the use of larger
vehicles. On the other end of the scale, a system with short
headways, like cars on a freeway, can offer very large capacities
even though the vehicles carry few passengers.
The term is most often applied to rail transport, where low
headways are often needed to move large numbers of people in
mass transit railways . A lower headway requires more
infrastructure, making lower headways expensive to achieve.
Modern large cities require passenger rail systems with
tremendous capacity, and low headways allow passenger
demand to be met in all but the busiest cities. Newer signalling
systems and moving block controls have significantly reduced
headways in modern systems compared to the same lines only a
few years ago. In principle, automated personal rapid
transit systems and automobile platoons could reduce headways
to as little as fractions of a second.

The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) is

a non-governmental non-profit organization that focuses on
developing bus rapid transit (BRT) systems, promoting biking,
walking, and non-motorized transport, and improving private bus
operators margins.[1] Other programs include parking
reform, traffic demand management, and global climate and
transport policy. According to its mission statement, ITDP is
committed to "promoting sustainable and equitable transportation
worldwide."[2]
In addition to its role supporting and consulting local
governmental efforts to develop more sustainable transportation,
ITDP publishes the magazine Sustainable Transport annually,
produces the BRT Standard and other research, and sits on the
committee for the annual Sustainable Transport Award.

The first BRT system in the world was the Rede Integrada de
Transporte(RIT, "Integrated Transportation Network"),
implemented in Curitiba,Brazil, in 1974.

Main features[edit]
Main article: BRT Standard
BRT systems normally include most of the following features:

Dedicated lanes[edit]

Elevated BRT system in Xiamen.

Bus-only lanes make for faster travel and ensure that buses are
not delayed by mixed traffic congestion. Separate rights of
waymay be elevated, in a cutting, or in a tunnel, possibly using
former rail routes. Transit malls or 'bus streets' may also be
created in city centers.
Busway alignment[edit]

TransJakarta buses use separate lanes to avoid congested roads.

Centre of roadway or bus-only corridor keeps buses away from

the busy curb-side, where cars and trucks are parking, standing
and turning.
Off-board fare collection[edit]

Fare prepayment at the station, instead of on board the bus,

eliminates the delay caused by passengers paying on board.
Intersection treatment[edit]

Prohibiting turns for traffic across the bus lane significantly

reduces delays to the buses. Bus priority will often be provided at
signalized intersections to reduce delays by extending the green
phase or reducing the red phase in the required direction
compared to the normal sequence. Prohibiting turns may be the
most important measure for moving buses through intersections.
Platform-level boarding[edit]

Cultural Centre busway station inBrisbane, Australia

Station platforms should be level with the bus floor for quick and
easy boarding, making it fully accessible for wheelchairs, disabled
passengers and baby strollers, with minimal delays.
High-level platforms for high-floored buses makes it difficult to
have stops outside dedicated platforms, or to have conventional
buses stop at high-level platforms, so these BRT stops are
distinct from street-level bus stops. Similar to rail vehicles, there is
also a risk of a dangerous gap between bus and platform. Kassel
curbs or other methods may be used to ease quick and safe
alignment of the BRT vehicle with a platform.
A popular compromise is low-floor buses with a low step at the
door, which can allow easy boarding at low-platform stops

compatible with other buses. This intermediate design may be

used with some low- or medium-capacity BRT systems.
The MIO system in Cali pioneered in 2009 the use of dual buses,
with doors on the left side of the bus that are located at the height
of high-level platforms, and doors on the right side that are
located at curb height. This buses can use the main line with its
exclusive lanes and high level platforms, located on the center of
the street and thus, boarding and leaving passengers on the left
side. These buses can exit the main line and use normal lanes
that share with other vehicles and stop at regular stations located
on sidewalks, located to the right side of the street. For the
system to work, users have the right to receive "credit" on the
electronic cards: in this manner, passengers that have no money
left on the cards can take the bus on sidewalk stops where there
is no possibility to recharge these cards. This means that the
balance in the card can be negative, up to two ticket fares, so
passengers can take the bus in the street and recharge the card
once they reach a main line station. As the card itself costs more
than the maximum negative balance, the passenger has no
incentive to default on his negative credit.[12] Transmilenio in
Bogot followed suit in 2014 also creating routes that can use
main line stations and regular sidewalk stations,[13] but instead of
giving credit to passengers to allow boarding the bus on
sidewalks, published a map readable in smart phones giving the
location of a very dense[14] network of 4.000 recharging points,

located in internet cafes and other business, that use a swipecard terminal for recharging. This system has the additional
benefit of diminishing queues on main line stations.[15]

Additional features[edit]
High capacity vehicles[edit]

TransMilenio vehicles carry up to 270 people.

High-capacity vehicles such bi-articulated buses may be used,

typically with multiple doors to speed entry and exit. Doubledecker buses[citation needed] orGuided buses may also be used.
Advanced powertrain control may be used for a smoother ride.
Quality stations[edit]

Ticket barriers at the entrance to aTransMilenio station in Bogot

View of Metrobus and its track inIslamabad, Pakistan

BRT systems typically feature significant investment in enclosed

stations which may incorporate attractive sliding glass doors,
staffed ticket booths, information booths, and other more standard
features listed above. They will often include level boarding, using
either low-floor buses or higher boarding platforms level, and
multiple doors to speed passenger boardings and enhance
accessibility to disabled passengers. Fare validation upon entry to
the station in a similar manner to that used on entry to a subway
system is also common, particularly at busy stations.[citation needed]
Prominent brand or identity[edit]

A unique and distinctive identity can contribute to BRT's

attractiveness as an alternative to driving cars,[16] (such as Viva,
Max, TransMilenio, Metropolitano, Select) marking stops and
stations as well as the buses.[17]
Large cities usually have big bus networks. A map showing all bus
lines might be incomprehensible, and cause people to wait for
low-frequency buses that may not even be running at the time
they are needed. By identifying the main bus lines having highfrequency service, with a special brand and separate maps, it is
easier to understand the entire network.[citation needed]

Comparison with conventional bus services[edit]

Conventional bus services being delayed by traffic congestion onChang'an

Avenue in Beijing

Conventional scheduled bus services use general traffic lanes,

which can be slow due to traffic congestion, and the speed of bus
services is further reduced by the time spent at bus stops for
passengers to board the vehicle, pay the fare, and to pull back
into traffic.
In 2013, the New York Cityauthorities noted that buses on34th
Street, which carried 33,000 bus riders a day on local and
express routes, traveled at 4.5 miles per hour (7.2 km/h), only
slightly faster than walking pace. Even despite the implementation
of Select Bus Service (New York City's version of a bus rapid
transit system), dedicated bus lanes, and traffic cameras on the
34th Street corridor, buses on the corridor were still found to travel
at an average of 4.5 mph.[39]
In the 1960s, Reuben Smeed predicted that the average speed of
traffic in central London would be 9 miles per hour (14 km/h)
without other disincentives such as road pricing, based on the
theory that this was the minimum speed that people will tolerate.

When the London congestion charge was introduced in 2003, the

average traffic speed was indeed 14 kilometres per hour
(8.7 mph) which was the highest speed since the 1970s.[40] By way
of contrast, typical speeds of BRT systems range from 17 to 30
miles per hour (27 to 48 km/h).[41]

TransMilenio was described as a "model BRT system" in the

National Bus Rapid Transit Institute's May 2006 report. It serves
Bogot with high-capacity articulated buses, which passengers
can board through three doors. Bi-articulated busesare used on
the busiest routes. Asmart card system is used for off-board fare
collection. Despite moving 45,000 ppdph, Transmilenio faces
huge problems (especially during peak hours), in terms of not
being quite organized, nor having the necessary capacity for
handling the high passenger volume, a situation not being limited
to peak hours but at most times along the day.

The Indore Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) or Ahilya Path is

the bus rapid transit system for the city of Indore, Madhya
Pradesh by AICTSL also called i-Bus(Intelligent Bus),[1] became
operational from 10 May 2013. The Indore BRTS project started
in 2007 under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal
Mission (JNNURM). It involves the participation of the
Governments of India and Madhya Pradesh, and the World Bank.

The UK-based Serco has won the operation and maintenance

contract of the BRT from Atal Indore City Transport Services Ltd
(AICTSL), a joint venture between Indore Development Authority
and Indore Municipal Corporation, which was set up to operate
and manage the public transport system in the city. The Company
will operate and maintain the fleet of the 50 low-floor and air
conditioned buses. It will also manage the operations control
center and a depot for the corridor.

Under the SUTP, the Global Environment Facility will fund the
setting up of the GPS-enabled Intelligent Transport System (ITS)
on the BRTS.

The ITS architecture will boast, among other high-tech features,

of advance signal systems based on data-centric algorithms for
emergency pre-emption and network surveillance with CCTV
cameras. The SUTP also envisages support for the BRTS through
two Traffic Signal Prioritisation and Automatic Fare Collection
plans. These include traffic signal co-ordination with adaptive
signal control and a centralised traffic control centre managing 46
traffic signals and priority for BRTS buses.

The BRTS will have Automatic Fare Collection System (AFCS),

which will facilitate off-board fare collection. There will also be a
Ticket Office Terminal for issuing "contactless smart cards." Under

the AFCS, fares will be collected by a private company on behalf

of Indore City Transport Services Ltd.

The company, under a 10-year contract, will be responsible for

the supply, installation, maintenance and operation of the AFCS,
besides providing the personnel required. A similar contract-based
system is planned for the AFCS of BRTS-Ahmedabad.

While the completed BRTS will cover 106 km, connecting all
major corridors in Indore, Phase-I of the project proposes three
corridors: the AB Road pilot corridor, the Vijayanagar ChowrahaUjjain Road junction and Ujjain Road junction-the Airport. The
current Rs. 130-crore AB Road pilot corridor runs along 11.7 km
and will cater to around 70,000 passengers daily. BRTS may also
be linked to the upcoming Indore Metro as planned.

Corridors[edit]
The following corridors were proposed to be executed under
JNNURM.[3]

Corridor 1: AB. Road [23.8 km]

Corridor 2: Eastern Ring Road [23.65 km]
Corridor 3: M.R. 10 Corridor [8.71 km]
Corridor 4: River Side Road Corridor [14.5 km]

Corridor 5: Western Ring Road [15.9 km]

Corridor 6: Badaganpti Airport [5.3 km]
Corridor 7: RW2 Ujjain Road Airport [9.5 km]
Other Corridors: M.G Road, RNT Road and YN Road [together
19.1 km]

Costs, ridership, and impact[edit]

According to a United States Transportation Research Board
(TRB) case study report, the construction cost for the first phase
of $8 million per mile (41 km was US $240 million, or US $5.9
million/km). The system is overseen by a public body, which
awards contracts to private bus companies on a competitive
basis. According to TRB, private contractors are paid based upon
the total number of kilometers that their vehicles operate..[4]

Daily ridership quickly reached 800,000 after the system opened.

TransMilenio has since been expanded and ridership in early
2006 was 1,050,000 daily, and in 2009 it was 1,400,000 daily. As
of 2008, seventy-five percent of Bogotans rated the system as
good or very good.[5]

Eventually, there is a plan to build 388 km of route, which will

provide a very dense network of rapid transit for an urban area
with an estimated land area of approximately 500 km2. TRB

reports that the 388 km system is projected to cost $3.3 billion,

only 10% more than a previously proposed Metro of 30 km would
have cost.[citation needed]

Most Bogotans have found Transmilenio to be an improvement

over previous bus service. An independent survey in 2005
reported that a majority of respondents thought the new bus
system superior, and only 15% thought it worse. Transmilenio was
also found faster and more convenient than other competing
transport choices. When asked about problems, many survey
takers complained about overcrowded buses. Between 20 and
30% cited pickpockets and long wait times as problems.[6]

The price of the ticket is 2.000 Colombian pesos (approximately

US $0.70). This has not prevented the buses from being
congested even during off-peak times.[citation needed]

As of February 3, 2016, rates of price increases passage 200

Colombian pesos according to the announcement of the Mobility
and transportation, leaving a balance of $2000 all day.[7]

Costs, ridership, and impact[edit]

According to a United States Transportation Research Board
(TRB) case study report, the construction cost for the first phase
of $8 million per mile (41 km was US $240 million, or US $5.9
million/km). The system is overseen by a public body, which

awards contracts to private bus companies on a competitive

basis. According to TRB, private contractors are paid based upon
the total number of kilometers that their vehicles operate..[4]

Daily ridership quickly reached 800,000 after the system opened.

TransMilenio has since been expanded and ridership in early
2006 was 1,050,000 daily, and in 2009 it was 1,400,000 daily. As
of 2008, seventy-five percent of Bogotans rated the system as
good or very good.[5]

Eventually, there is a plan to build 388 km of route, which will

provide a very dense network of rapid transit for an urban area
with an estimated land area of approximately 500 km2. TRB
reports that the 388 km system is projected to cost $3.3 billion,
only 10% more than a previously proposed Metro of 30 km would
have cost.[citation needed]

Most Bogotans have found Transmilenio to be an improvement

over previous bus service. An independent survey in 2005
reported that a majority of respondents thought the new bus
system superior, and only 15% thought it worse. Transmilenio was
also found faster and more convenient than other competing
transport choices. When asked about problems, many survey
takers complained about overcrowded buses. Between 20 and
30% cited pickpockets and long wait times as problems.[6]

The price of the ticket is 2.000 Colombian pesos (approximately

US $0.70). This has not prevented the buses from being
congested even during off-peak times.[citation needed]

As of February 3, 2016, rates of price increases passage 200

Colombian pesos according to the announcement of the Mobility
and transportation, leaving a balance of $2000 all day.[7]