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The Eindhoven BRT: Phileas

Bus Rapid Transit or BRT

Advanced Public Transport | UK-English
Hoogwaardig Openbaar Vervoer | Nederlands

Bus Rapid Transit is an advanced public transport system, often presented as a cost effective alternative to light rail. Like light rail evolved from tram, BRT evolved from bus. Because Bus Rapid Transit requires relatively low investments it is suited to serve cities or connections with a modest mobility demand.
Yes, Bus Rapid Transit vehicles do come with rubber tyres. But some lines of the Paris metro do as well. That doesn't make them busses, right?

Bus Rapid Transit characteristics

With its characteristics the Phileas fits perfectly within the international concept of Bus Rapid Transit. The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy defines a Bus Rapid Transit as a "high-quality, customer-orientated transit that delivers fast, comfortable and low-cost urban mobility." The ITDP regards a system as Bus Rapid Transit when it comes with most or all of the following elements:

• Dedicated bus corridors with strong physical separation from other traffic lanes.
• Modern bus stops that are more like bus "stations", with pre-board ticketing and comfortable waiting areas.
• Multi-door buses that "dock" with bus stations to allow rapid boarding and alighting.
• Large, high capacity, comfortable buses, preferably low-emission.
• Differentiated services such as local and express buses.
• Prioritization at intersections either as signal priority or physical avoidance (e.g., underpasses).
• Co-ordination with operators of smaller buses and paratransit vehicles to create new feeder services to the bus stations.
• Integrated ticketing that allows free transfers, if possible across transit companies and modes (bus,tram, metro).
• Use of GPS or other locator technologies with a central control area that manages bus location at all times and facilitates rapid reaction to problems.
• Real-time information displays on expected bus arrival times.
• Good station access for taxis, pedestrians and cyclists, and adequate storage facilities for bikes.
• New regimes for bus licensing, regulation and compensation of operators.
• Land-use reform to encourage higher densities close to BRT stations.
• Well-designed handicap access, including ability for wheelchair passengers to quickly board buses.
• Excellence in customer service that includes clean, comfortable and safe facilities, good information and helpful staff.
• A sophisticated marketing strategy that encompasses branding, positioning and advertising.