China’s traffic-straddling bus is real, carries first passengers

The Chinese port city of Qinhuangdao was the location for the first test of an innovative new mode of public transport called the Transit Elevated Bus (TEB), a high-riding bus that can glide over gridlocked traffic.

The Chinese port city of Qinhuangdao was the location for the first test of an innovative new mode of public transport called the Transit Elevated Bus (TEB), a high-riding bus that can glide over gridlocked traffic.

According to China Xinhua News, the test was carried out on Tuesday, with engineers from TEBtech, the company developing the bus, evaluating the aerodynamics, braking system and power usage.

A few passengers were also allowed on the traffic-straddling bus, which is guided by rails built into existing roads. The top speed is 37 mph.

The TEB is approximately 26 feet long and 16 ft high and features a passenger compartment that is spacious and filled with natural light. It has the capacity to carry 300 passengers but potentially more as multiple TEBs can be linked.

Taller vehicles such as buses and trucks won’t be able to pass underneath but these are already restricted from the centers of many Chinese cities, where the TEB is designed to operate.

TEBtech is hopeful of having the bus ready for deployment by the end of the year. It’s already attracted the interest of transport departments from other countries including Brazil, France, India and Indonesia.