Institute of Transportation, MOTC

　　Dual-mode bus is properly designed to be employed both on ordinary road systems by using manual control and on track transport systems by adopting automatic-guided technologies. It not only retains the merit of bus systems with higher accessibility than any other public transportation modes, but also contains the credit of track transport systems with better level of service than bus systems. The study first introduces the latest developments and application of a dual-mode bus system overseas, and then reviews such system’s technical characteristics, basic principles, and the essential application constraints. Furthermore, a preliminary study is conducted to evaluate the feasibility of practically introducing the system into Taiwan. Finally, the study concludes that a dual-mode bus system, in Taiwan, is apt to be utilized either as a main connecting transport system between a new town and its adjacent cities or as a transshipment and feeder system of a mass rapid transit system in the metropolitan area.