AN INVESTIGATION OF A BATTERY-TROLLEY BUS SYSTEM

A feasibility study of a combined battery and trolley bus system has been carried out. The double-decked 80-passenger electric bus has a performance compatible with modern traffic. It is powered from overhead wires for only part of its route. For the remainder of its journey, it uses lead-acid batteries which are re-charged from the overhead supply when the bus next reaches a powered route section. The likely cost and weight of the bus components were investigated and possible technical, environmental, and safety problems were considered. Systems studies were carried out for two urban areas. It was concluded that the system could be made to work satisfactorily in most towns which now have an urban bus system, without significant changes to existing timetables. There would be some improvement in air pollution and noise over diesel buses, but no saving in primary energy or running costs. The capital cost of the system would be much higher than that for a diesel bus fleet.(a) /TRRL/

• Corporate Authors:

  Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)

  Wokingham, Berkshire  United Kingdom 
• Authors:
  • Weeks, R
• Publication Date: 1978

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 21 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air pollution; Bus transit; Costs; Economic efficiency; Electric automobiles; Electric batteries; Electric generators; Electric vehicles; Environment; Environmental impacts; Feasibility analysis; Itinerary; Noise; Operating costs; Propulsion; Safety; Safety factors; Sound; Timetables; Trolleybuses; Urban areas; Urban transportation; Weight
• Uncontrolled Terms: Efficiency
• Old TRIS Terms: Bus transportation (Intracity)
• ITRD Terms: 1315: Battery; 1394: Catalytic converter; 224: Cost; 5911: Efficiency; 2455: Environment; 699: Itinerary; 221: Operating costs; 3873: Propulsion; 1061: Railway gauge; 1665: Safety; 6748: Sound; 1186: Timetable; 313: Urban area; 5485: Weight
• Subject Areas: Economics; Energy; Environment; Finance; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00178621
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: TRRL Lab. Rpt. 823 Monograph
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 27 1981 12:00AM