Issue 584 Giant Bus May 5, 2015

There was an article about potential projects that could change the future.  In this case, the concept comes from China.  Their idea was a giant bus that could hold up to 1000 people.  Let's discuss.

The giant Bus: So the concept was designed as an alternative to both trains and other large scale mass transit.  This bus which could hold well over a thousand people would ride above the highways of China, thus eliminating the need for special railroad tracks.  Essentially, the buses wheels would be on the end of struts and the main cabin(s) would be elevated above the highway traffic.  If you haven't guessed yet, the traffic of the highway drives underneath while the bus rides above them.  Very cool right.  

Possible impacts:  This vehicle could essentially replace railroads and subways in any city.  Reason being is that it does not require tracks and their associated maintenance as it only needs a segregated road surface upon which to ride upon.  So no need to find room, or go through the expense of uprooting buildings or using large sums of money to modify a city to fit an entire mass transit system.  Basically, the main savings is cost, and efficiency, as the giant busses tires make less noise, are more easily replaced, and just use a regular road.  As such, future cities may opt for this cheaper alternative.  There is also a possibility of a cargo version to move cargo containers, which could eliminate the need for trucks and cargo trains in a city altogether if the system is planned out correctly, or at the very least reduces the number of trucks needed in an urban environment to supply goods and other materials.  It is even possible to have these go from city to city as well, eliminating city to city trains and mass transit as well.

Conclusion:  Obviously, this was a concept that was proposed as a cheap alternative to rail for Chinese cities and their congested highways that could not be readily adapted to have a mass transit systems.  But I believe it is a viable concept from which future cities and older cities can use to solve their mass transit woes.  So if it works, why not try it.