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The future is now? Chinese straddling bus that travels OVER cars unveiled

Magic School Bus

The future is now? Chinese straddling bus that travels OVER cars unveiled

China has unveiled its much anticipated “straddling bus.” Spanning two lanes of traffic, the “bus” is essentially a moving tunnel, traveling on tracks on the far side of each lane while leaving six-and-a-half-feet of headroom for automobiles moving underneath.

Though appearing to be more of a tram, the vehicle is officially known as the Transit Elevated Bus (TEB). Stretching to 72 feet long and running on electricity, the bus can accommodate 300 passengers and is touted as traveling up to 37 miles-per-hour. Buses can also be connected to each other if necessary. This week, a trial run of the TEB-1 was carried out along a 984-foot-long stretch of controlled track in Qinhuangdao, a city located in the north east of China.

In 2010, a computer model of the bus caused a stir online, resurfacing again this May when images of a physical scale model were released of it being showcased at the 19th China Beijing International High-Tech Expo. Despite the excitement surrounding the project, many were skeptical of the TEB’s success—if it were to ever be realized. After a remarkable three-month turnaround, however, the bus is now a reality.

Song Youzhou, the project’s chief engineer spoke state-media outlet Xinhua. “The biggest advantage is that the bus will save lots of road space,” he said earlier this year. “The TEB has the same functions as the subway, while its cost of construction is less than one fifth of the subway,” said fellow engineer Bai Zhiming to the CCTV news agency.

According to the firm behind the project, TEB-1 could take the place of 40 normal buses. So far, however, it is not known how much the “straddling bus” will be used across China. Five cities—Qinhuangdao, Shenyang, Nanyang, Tianjin, and Zhoukou—have agreed to deals with TEB Technology Development Company for further testing.

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