Analyzing the Effect of Bus Rapid Transit Policy Strategies on CO2 Emissions: Case Study of Beijing

Public transportation systems play an important role in reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from transportation sectors because they deliver low carbon trips per capita. Bus rapid transit (BRT) system, as a newly thriving bus service in Asia and the first, and so far the only, mass transit technology certified under the Kyoto Protocol, has been considered as a crucial solution to achieving low-carbon urban mobility. Different policy strategies in the development of BRT may result in different levels of modal shifts, which affect the amount of reductions of CO2 emissions from buses. However, few existing studies have been conducted to analyze the effect of BRT policy strategies on CO2 reductions in China. This paper presents an in-depth analysis of effects of BRT policy strategies on CO2 reductions based on a case study in Beijing. Potential policy strategies for BRT development are identified and analyzed, under which three scenarios are designed. A CO2 emissions estimation method suitable for complicated vehicle classes and operating patterns is established to assess the effect of BRT policy strategies on CO2 emissions. Results indicate that BRT system has a great potential to reduce CO2 emissions in Beijing if a positive development policy is adopted.

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• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AP050 Bus Transit Systems.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Chen, Xumei
  • Yu, Lei
  • Wang, Ying
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 93rd Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC
  • Date: 2014-1-12 to 2014-1-16
• Date: 2014

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 13p
• Monograph Title: TRB 93rd Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bus rapid transit; Carbon dioxide; Modal shift; Policy; Pollutants
• Geographic Terms: Beijing (China)
• Subject Areas: Environment; Policy; Public Transportation; I15: Environment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01516634
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 14-1852
• Files: PRP, TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 28 2014 1:32PM