What do you do when you’ve got one of the largest populations in the world, huge traffic congestion problems and a bad rep for having dirty industry? Just wow the world with a straddling bus prototype. No big deal.
The straddling bus project, designed by Shenzhen Hashi Future Parking Equipment Co. is a 16-foot public transport vehicle that is two road lanes wide, drives above cars and has a hollow underbelly so that other vehicles can pass underneath. This clever, ambitious design has big potential for alleviating congestion and increasing efficiency on the road.
These future buses are forcasted to reduce traffic jams by 25 to 30 percent on main routes and can carry 1,200 people at a time, or 300 passengers per cart.
The bus is powered by a combination of solar panels and electricity.
Ps- This is yet another example of Driving the good drive.
(Spotted on Big Think)
Katherine Hui is currently the Social site editor at Green Thing, a web-based public service in London that inspires people to lead greener lives through creative content.
Before this, she worked as the Development Manager at Social Innovation Camp, an organization that encourages people to use web and mobile-based technology to mobilise social change. She oversaw 300 ideas submission and helped build 20 prototypes – five of which have gone on to get further funding or investment.
Katherine’s came over to the UK form Canada in 2007 for an MSc program at the London School of Economics. Before arriving in London, she managed a small environmental start-up in Vancouver called the Canadian Climate Change Alliance.
Katherine is football mad. She is a loyal supporter of Arsenal FC, plays for Islington Borough Ladies FC and coaches for Gunners in Islington in her spare time. Her second favourite hobby is kite surfing and she can sometimes be found chasing the wind.