Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a high quality, high capacity bus-based mass transit option for rapidly growing cities. BRT delivers fast, reliable and cost-effective mobility through the provision of segregated lanes, enclosed stations, rapid and frequent operations. BRT fare based on fare collection stationary entry rather than on buses and excellent passenger information systems. A BRT system provides priority to public transport passengers, but can also greatly improve conditions for mixed traffic by solving the problem of bus stop congestion. Median-aligned busway minimizes the risk of delays caused by turning movements and parked vehicles.
BRT infrastructure should be built in a corridor where many public transport users travel and suffer delays due to congestion. Dedicated BRT lanes can increase bus travel speed significantly. In Guangzhou, the bus average speeding during the peak hour increased from 11km/h to 19km/h after BRT. Compared to a regular bus, the journey on a BRT is much quicker, because BRTs enjoy bus-only lanes, and passengers pay at the station, rather than on the bus. And since the station floor is at the same level as the bus floor, BRT is easily accessible to individuals with limited mobility.
New developments in the urban transport sector in Indonesia promise to counter the trend of increasing traffic congestion and air pollution in the urban area. Jakarta’s nascent bus rapid transit (BRT) system has begun to reallocate scarce road space in the center of the city to efficient public transportation.
The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy and its partners, provide technical support for the Jakarta BRT with aims to maximize the effectiveness of the BRT and use it as a catalyst for urban transport reform in Jakarta and other key Indonesian cities. The project objectives directly contribute to increased sustainable transport by encouraging modal shift from private motorized vehicles to public transport. Increasing the operational efficiency of BRT will increase the speed and capacity of the system, both of which are currently reducing potential ridership.