The Bus Rapid Transit system is significant for Guiyang's public transportation, as Guiyang, capital city of Guizhou province, is the only city in Southwest China that has applied the vehicle restriction scheme. The application of a BRT system can deal with traffic jams and the rapid growth of automobiles to a large degree.

The Bus Rapid Transit system is expected to be complete in 2018. [Photo/gzgov.gov.cn]

Guiyang has brought in a preliminary plan for light rail, loops and a BRT system. Currently, the light rail lines No 1 and No 2 are under construction, as well as the BRT system and the city loops.

It is expected that the new transportation system in Guiyang will be complete by 2018 and it will bring a complete change to the transportation situation by then.

"The year of 2014 marks the beginning of the construction for Guiyang's public transportation system, and it will be complete by 2018," said Sun Lin, deputy director of the Guiyang transportation bureau.

According to the planning, after completion, it will make breakthroughs in public transportation, low-carbon and green transportation system, public transportation service standards and the integration of passenger transportation in urban and rural areas.

In order to solve the problem of traffic congestion, it shall make public transportation a first choice for the public, and seek ways to enlarge the public transportation coverage, increase the number of buses and the speed of buses.

"Currently, Guiyang is a leading city talking about low-carbon transportation. But the public have limited choices when it comes to public transportation, which is still backward,” said Sun. “The Light rail and BRT system are currently the most advanced and mature public transportation systems and it is the development trend of the public transportation in the near future."

By the year 2018, Guiyang will have a seamless connection of light rail, BRT and buses and local residents will be able to search public transportation information via mobile phones and Internet.

Currently, Guiyang's bus-only lanes only take up 7 percent of the total roads and the percentage will increase to 15 percent.

In the following five years, it will make efforts to increase the coverage of public transportation in the city. In 2013, the coverage of public transportation in central Guiyang was 81 percent, and the percentage will strive to reach 100 percent.

"A Guiyang public transportation information center will be complete soon. By then, local residents can check public transportation information via cell phones and Internet. I think it is our first priority to make public transportation more intelligent," said Sun.