On 20-21 October an International Workshop for Bus Rapid Transit, organized by the China Academy of Transportation Sciences (CATS) and China Urban Sustainable Transport Research Center (CUSTReC), both under the Ministry of Transport, was held in Guangzhou. ITDP-China helped host the conference that saw over 90 participants from 20 different cities and provincial and national government officials as well. Delegates included the Transport Bureau of Liaoning Province, Road Transport Bureau of Anhui Province, Road Transport Bureau of Hubei Province, Shijiazhuang Transport Bureau, Baoding Transport Bureau, Baoding Urban and Rural Planning Bureau, Baotou Transport Bureau, Harbin Transport Bureau, Hefei Transport Bureau, Wuhu Road Transport Bureau, Fuyang Road Transport Bureau, Jinan Urban Transport Research Center, Zaozhuang Transport Bureau, Wuhan Transport Research Institute, Yichang Road Transport Bureau, Guiyang Urban Rural Planning Bureau and Guiyang Transport Bureau, Lanzhou Transport Bureau, Urumqi Transport Bureau and Guangzhou Communications Commission. Karl Fjellstrom and Zoltan Gyarmati gave presentations on BRT planning, design and implementation in Yichang and BRT station area development/TOD respectively. ITDP-China led a delegation of 60 around the Guangzhou BRT and bike sharing system.

The event was very well-received. The Guiyang Road Transport Bureau Deputy Chief expressed how he now understands 'direct service' operations for BRT and sees great potential in its application. Guiyang’s Urban and Rural Planning Bureau Division Director mentioned Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou, is planning BRT and seeing the success of Guangzhou BRT provides very useful lessons that Guiyang can learn from, with ITDP-China’s input. A delegation from Baoding (Hebei province) learned from presentations on Yichang BRT that dedicated BRT lanes are possible on smaller roads as well and can succeed on roads in Baoding. Delegates from Anhui, Inner Mongolia, Liaoning, and city governments from Yichang and Baoding mentioned the conference combined with the site visit program was the best on BRT they had attended so far.

For information on ITDP's BRT and TOD site visit and training program in Guangzhou, see here.