Lessons of Bus Rapid Transit from Nine Cities in China

Because of its efficient service and relatively low investment requirements, bus rapid transit (BRT) is growing in popularity in many cities around the world. The development of BRT in nine cities in China, including design, implementation, operation, and management of the systems, is summarized. Substantial data, including infrastructure design, service performance, and passenger flow, have been collected from the BRT systems in the nine cities. The cities’ population, size, importance, and social and economical backgrounds have also been provided. On the basis of the data, five BRT development modes are summarized and compared. Recommendations about China's BRT decision making, planning, systems designs, and operational management are also provided.