This paper presents the state of the art of systems that allow a bus to drive closer to the pavement, and also presents a video experiment in Grenoble, France, aiming to estimate several parameters of bus docking quality. There are two types of gaps relevant to bus accessibility: (1) the vertical gap, the difference in height between the vehicle floor and the pavement at the bus stop; and (2) the horizontal gap, which is the horizontal distance between the edge of the pavement and the vehicle floor. Two types of bus guidance system have been developed in Germany, and one kind in Belgium. Four bus docking aid systems have been developed, one of which is operating in France, and three of which are being tested in Germany; which are being tested in Germany; two of the systems are electronic, and two are mechanical. The bus approach observation study aimed to analyse bus movements near bus stops, to observe and quantify the behaviour of bus drivers. It considered bay type and extended bay type bus stops in Grenoble. A table summarises the experiment's results that relate to: (1) dwell time; (2) longitudinal position; (3) horizontal gap; and (4) angular position. It was found that docking quality varied over time, and depended on various factors.
Abstract