Since 2019, “Fébus”, the world’s first all-hydrogen-powered BRT system, has been operating in Pau, a city in southwestern France, with technical support from Keolis. Earlier that same year, Keolis also launched the all-electric BRT service in the nearby Bayonne-Anglet-Biarritz metropolitan area, and Europe’s largest network of electric buses in the northern French city of Amiens. With its dedicated lanes, innovative propulsion, extended hours, and distinctive “light rail on wheels” look, BRT is an increasingly attractive solution for metropolitan areas seeking high-performance, sustainable public transport.

As Group Executive Director France at Keolis, Frédéric Baverez witnessed firsthand the transformation of public transport from the inside. Looking back, he spoke with us about the growing success of these next-generation bus lines.

Densely developed areas in cities with 200,000-250,000 residents need transport solutions that people want to use—and for that, the two key metrics are commercial speed and frequency of service. Bus rapid transit offers both and is more affordable than light rail. Building a light rail system costs about €20 million per kilometre, and light rail trainsets are priced at €2-3 million each. But with a BRT network, you’ll pay only €5-8 million per kilometre and €400,000-800,000 per vehicle—far less expensive.

Even for very big cities that already have infrastructure-intensive public transport systems, BRT offers a solution to the challenges of urban mobility. Because it’s more flexible, bus rapid transit can fill the gaps in an existing network, especially in outlying areas with less coverage. That’s true for Lyon, Lille, and Rennes.

A BRT line can transport up to 35,000-40,000 passengers a day. It’s true that each bus carries fewer people than a light rail trainset, but if you look at overall passenger numbers, a BRT line has nearly the same capacity as a light rail line.

It’s a mistake to see this as an either-or proposition. Each mode is useful in its own way—and besides, economics isn’t the only critical factor! Sometimes BRT is the best solution because of the way an urban area is laid out. In France, for example, there are many historic city centres with winding streets and right-angle turns, where it would be impossible to run 30m-42m light rail trainsets.

That’s another essential point: BRT buses need to stand out—it’s part of their image. That’s one aspect of the strategy. And we put a lot of work into station design for the same reason. BRT buses can’t look like a run-of-the-mill articulated bus. Travellers have to see the difference in a single glance. From that standpoint, the BRT buses in Metz—which have three sections and are 24 meters long—are very successful.

The public transport industry has a big responsibility to meet the challenges of the energy transition. At Keolis, we help transport organizing authorities choose and deploy vehicles that are more eco-friendly and emit less greenhouse gas. BRT buses are a highly suitable alternative to diesel.

In Amiens, the new Nemo buses are 100% electric. With 43 buses, each 18 metres long, Amiens Métropole has the biggest 100% electric fleet in Europe. Tram Bus, an 100%-electric BRT service with 10 vehicles, has also been launched in the Bayonne-Anglet-Biarritz metropolitan area, in south-western France. The nearby city of Pau chose hydrogen propulsion for its Fébus fleet of 18-metre-long buses, which started operating end-2019—becoming the world’s first hydrogen-powered BRT network with buses that size. And the Sophia-Antipolis conurbation in south-eastern France has a natural gas-powered BRT system.

Whenever new BRT lines appear, we see a sharp rise in ridership—and not just on the affected lines, but throughout the system, due to a ripple effect. BRT simultaneously delivers better service and projects a modern image. Take Metz as an example: a year after the launch of its new BRT service, public transport ridership had increased by 24.9%. And the numbers for other cities are about the same.

France is ahead of the curve on public transport, particularly when you look at per capita urban transport spending in cities with fewer than 1 million residents. And three of the world’s five largest BRT operators are French.

We’re exporting our expertise. If you look at alternative power sources, Sweden—which began eliminating diesel very early—is on the cutting edge. But when you compare countries that are about the same size, France is moving to electric fleets faster than Germany, England and Spain. And the shift is set to accelerate.