Testing the Bus of the Future: A Decade of European Research on Bus Systems

With 30 billion bus users in the European Union every year, equivalent to half of all public transport passengers, the quality and effectiveness of bus services is decisive. Two research projects funded by the European Commission, European Bus System of the Future (EBSF) (2008–2013) and EBSF_2 (2015–2018), aim to develop a new generation of buses by combining new vehicle technologies and infrastructures with operational best practices. The (accomplished) goals of EBSF were to increase the attractiveness of buses by testing innovative vehicles integrated into European urban scenarios. In turn, EBSF_2 is committed to raising the image of the bus through solutions for increased efficiency mainly by improving energy consumption and reducing operational costs. Both projects were conceived as an open platform for dialogue on bus system efficiency, which includes key stakeholders in urban bus services across Europe and considers all areas of expertise (from manufacturing, through operations to research). Key working areas in both projects are more comfortable and accessible bus layouts, advanced maintenance and energy management, interoperable information technology (IT) solutions and eco-driving. All of these rely on demonstrators, i.e. testing the innovative measures on vehicles operating within real urban environments, with performance independently assessed. This paper describes the methodology and the test process adopted for both projects and reports the results achieved to date. It also examines the coming challenges, with the objective of disseminating the results reported in applications beyond the European projects field.

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

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Corazza, Maria Vittoria
  • Tozzi, Michele
  • Guida, Umberto
  • Musso, Antonio
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 96th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2017-1-8 to 2017-1-12
• Date: 2017

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 15p
• Monograph Title: TRB 96th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Energy consumption; Innovation; Propulsion; Sustainable transportation; Transit buses; Urban transit
• Identifier Terms: European Bus System of the Future (Project : European Union)
• Uncontrolled Terms: Dual propulsion buses; Energy efficiency
• Geographic Terms: European Union countries
• Subject Areas: Energy; Public Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01626065
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 17-01547
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 15 2017 5:03PM