Rubber-tyred tram

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A rubber-tyred tram (also known as tramway on tyres, French: tramway sur pneumatiques) is a development of the guided bus in which a vehicle is guided by a fixed rail in the road surface and draws current from overhead electric wires (either via pantograph or trolley poles).

Two incompatible systems using physical

The Translohr system operates as a guided vehicle at all times, while with the Bombardier system the vehicles can be driven independently as requirements dictate, such as journeys to the depot. Consequently, the Bombardier vehicles are legally considered buses, and must bear

These systems have been likened to the tram equivalent of rubber-tyred metros, and they are also less efficient than steel-wheeled light rail vehicles. There is no evidence to prove the superiority of either guidance system. Both Bombardier and Translohr have had derailments during operation.^[1][2]

Systems in operation

Diagram of the Translohr guide rail (green) and the tram's guide wheels (red)

Diagram of the guide rail and guide wheel of the Bombardier's GLT

Translohr

• Clermont-Ferrand tramway, France (STE4, since 2006)
• Padua tramway, Italy (STE3, since 2007)
• Mestre-Venice tramway, Italy (STE3, since 2010)
• Île-de-France tramway Line 5, France (STE3, since 2013)
• Île-de-France tramway Line 6, France (STE6, since 2014)
• Ayacucho Tram, Medellin, Colombia (STE5, since 2015)

• Translohr switches and crossing
• 
  Translohr flexible single rail switch
• 
  Translohr rigid two-rail switch
• 
  Translohr rail crossing

Retired systems

Bombardier Guided Light Transit (GLT)

• Nancy Guided Light Transit, France (2001–2023) 40% of the line runs as a driver steered trolley bus. The entire route is to be converted after 2020 to light rail by 2023 (though the project has recently been converted to a trolleybus-only system because of the cost).^[3]
• Caen Guided Light Transit, France (2002–2017) GLT closed in 2017 and converted to light rail which opened in 2019.^[4][5][6]

Translohr

• Zhangjiang Tram, Shanghai, China (STE3, 2010–2023); closed due to high operating costs and low ridership.
• TEDA Modern Guided Rail Tram, Tianjin, China (STE3, 2007–2023); closed due to maintenance issues.

Proposed systems

• Cambridge Autonomous Metro utilises a "fully autonomous, battery-powered road transport vehicle". (The other options are a personal rapid transit and a guided bus. An upgrade bus service is also being considered.)^[7]

References