"Alley buses" in Chongqing ease public transport

An alley bus runs on a street in Chongqing. [Photo by Gong Mengyuan/for China Daily]

Elders and disables living in Chongqing, a hilly city in southwestern China, may have difficulties getting on the bus or even getting to the bus stop on steep and narrow streets. The hillside city boasts many zigzag streets, which can pose a challenge for elders and disables on their daily mobility.

Thankfully, the local government extended the green minibus service to more communities in July, 2021. Nicknamed "alley bus", the electric vehicles have six seats and are specifically designed to reach the localities with difficult accessibility, such as narrow lanes and slopes, to pick up housebound seniors and disables around the city.

"Chongqing initiated the alley bus project in June, 2020. So far, 48 have been put into operation on 13 routes in six districts," said Zhou Zheng, deputy general manager of Chongqing Public Transport Holding Group. "This benefits about 10,700 residents." Zhou added that the routes are also designed to be integrated with subway stations, making them more accessible.

The local residents said that, before the arrival of the service, public transportation was a dilemma for elders. Taking a taxi, even for short distances, was thought to be too expensive, while walking was seen as too physically demanding. Now, they enjoy the free daily bus rides whenever it's not raining. "In the morning, I take the bus to a teahouse to meet my friends or go to the wet market. In the afternoon, I make my way home by bus and prepare my dinner," a 50-year-old resident said.

Alley bus driver Peng Jian said he has seen how the popularity of the special service among the city's seniors has grown. "Whether they are going to a community hospital or picking up their grandchildren, lots of seniors will choose to take the alley bus rather than walk," he said. The passengers are grateful for the service. "Though the bus doesn't make a profit as most of its users are seniors, who get the rides for free, the service demonstrates how much the local government cares about us," a senior passenger said.

In the near future, Chongqing's alley bus service is expected to add two additional routes and introduce more new models with more space, more seats and user-friendly designs, according to Zhou.

Edited by Wang Miao with reference to http://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202112/13/WS61b6afbda310cdd39bc7af1c.html