Buses as Low-Carbon Mobility Solutions for Urban India

Abstract

Promoting the use of public transport is seen as one of the key strategies for moderating the inevitable growth of carbon emissions from urban transport in India. For the majority of Indian cities, this means promoting the use of public bus systems. However, the absence of analyses on carbon emissions savings attributable to public bus services in Indian cities creates a significant gap in the literature. This study used recently available data on bus system performance, travel characteristics, and emissions factors to estimate the emissions savings from public bus services in two cities, Ahmedabad and Bangalore. Three types of emissions savings estimates were calculated: past savings from increased ridership in the 5 years from 2005 to 2010, current savings from the newly introduced Janmarg bus rapid transit system in Ahmedabad and the Big10 trunk services in Bangalore, and forecasted savings for 2021 and 2031. All three estimates indicated that public bus services produce significant reductions in carbon emissions. The advantages of investing in bus systems (relatively low cost and quick implementation) over other potential strategies for reducing urban transport emissions suggest that bus systems should be a high priority for both governments and international funding mechanisms for mitigation of climate change.