In order that buses should be able to run reliably according to timetables, on increasingly crowded roads, it is becoming necessary to give buses precedence over other traffic. The paper reviews different approaches used for giving buses priority, such as the exclusive use of one traffic lane, be enabled to turn traffic lights green, be allowed access denied to other vehicles, or use a bus-only road network as a Busway transit system. Also considered is the role of IT systems in which developments in technology make possible intelligent traffic management, enforcement, vehicle identification and detection, so assisting in the provision of an effective bus priority and information system, perhaps using global positioning to pinpoint a bus's location and speed.
Abstract