Bus transportation is considered to be a cost effective solution for urban transportation.
Bus services have been in existence in many cities, though operating at varying
degrees of efficiency. The successful transport system established in Curitaba with
bus way system in 1973 and full BRT in 1982 attracted the attention of city administrators
and transport planners of both developed and developing countries. Since then, a
variety of concepts have been developed in many cities to improve bus services.
These are designated, for example, Busway System, High Capacity Bus System, or Integrated
Transport System. They are slightly different in focus, as well as in specification
and performance. The term Bus Rapid Transit includes these variations, but with
the following characteristics:
• Corridors are mainly segregated (with a minimum mix with general traffic in non-segregated
sections)
• Rapid boarding and alighting at customer-oriented stations;
• New bus technology (low floor, wider doors and articulated); and
• Routes are organized in a trunk-and-feeder system.
