In Binzhou City, Shandong Province, cute mini-buses shuttle through the streets and alleys, serving the daily commuting needs of citizens.

"School Bus" Enters Campus

"Binzhou school buses have new additions," "The new buses are so cute, they look amazing"... Since March this year, Binzhou Public Transportation has gradually replaced the operational buses on school routes with newly purchased 6-meter electric buses, aiming to provide safer and more comfortable transportation services for students to and from school.

"These new buses are small and agile, with a rounded and full overall shape, giving them a cute and charming appearance, earning them the nickname 'Baby Bus' from citizens," explained Zhang Tao, Head of Enterprise Development at Binzhou Public Bus Company and General Manager of Shandong Bus Smart Technology. "The 'School Bus' is actually Golden Dragon's ASTAR model. At 6 meters long, it is easier to drive into the campus and park while waiting for students to board. It also features a one-step entrance, low-floor design, subway-style sliding doors, a spacious and bright interior, subway-style handrails, and soft-padded seats for added comfort. Additionally, to better ensure safety, every seat is equipped with a seatbelt and safety handrail, the floor is fire-resistant and anti-slip, and the bus has a 360-degree panoramic view."

"Dynamic Bus" for Direct Transfer

Nowadays, taking a "Dynamic Bus" has become a part of daily commuting for Binzhou citizens. When parking is difficult near your destination or when traveling with a large community, you can use a mini program or APP in Binzhou to instantly book a bus, enjoying "point-to-point" responsive shuttle services and achieving direct transfer without changing buses.

"Based on the 'Internet + Transportation' concept, Binzhou Public Transportation has proactively innovated the 'Dynamic Bus' operating model, breaking the traditional fixed route and stop format," Zhang Tao said. "The 'Dynamic Bus' can be called on demand, providing 'point-to-point' shuttle services within the service area. It offers both carpooling and exclusive use, featuring large capacity, economic convenience, and short waiting times. Industry insiders believe that this operating model not only meets the personalized travel needs of citizens, bringing convenient and efficient public transportation experiences, but also helps alleviate urban road traffic pressure and parking difficulties through integrated travel."

"Currently, Binzhou operates nearly 40 'Dynamic Buses' daily, from 6:30 am to 10:00 pm, covering an area within 30 square kilometers of the main city, effectively improving the accessibility of the public transportation network," Zhang Tao explained. "Since its trial operation, Binzhou's 'Dynamic Bus' has completed over 54,600 orders, serving more than 78,600 people. Adjustments will be made to the vehic le ratio based on passenger flow changes in the future."

Binzhou Public Transportation operates over 50 routes with 484 buses, offering specialized customized public transportation services such as school transportation, commuting, and medical transportation. "Next, Binzhou Public Transportation will continue to innovate public travel service models, providing more diversified and specialized customized public transportation services to meet the personalized travel needs of the people," Zhang Tao said.

Golden Dragon ASTAR

The ASTAR is a pure electric vehicle specifically developed by Golden Dragon for urban microcirculation travel. It is approximately 6 meters long and 2 meters wide, featuring significant characteristics such as compactness, agility, and speed, making it adaptable to various narrow and complex roads. Compared to traditional 6-meter buses, the Golden Dragon ASTAR has achieved a weight reduction of approximately 2 tons through advanced lightweight technology, resulting in noticeable energy conservation and emission reduction benefits.

The futuristic and dynamic appearance of the Golden Dragon ASTAR has become a differentiated label for its operational routes, effectively increasing public attention to public transportation. It's worth mentioning that the Golden Dragon ASTAR is a brand-new platform product developed based on industry trends. Starting with electrification, it has established a sustainable and upgradeable intelligent network architecture, which can well meet the needs of segmented scenes and innovative "Internet + Travel" development.

Nowadays, as an "online booking bus", the Golden Dragon ASTAR has been put into operation in Fujian, Jiangsu, Shandong, and other places, becoming a "popular bus."

Besides being a microcirculation minibus and an online booking bus, the Golden Dragon ASTAR has another identity - a self-driving bus. As the second generation of Golden Dragon's autonomous driving bus, the Star currently achieves Level 4 autonomous driving capability, accurately perceiving and avoiding obstacles. It possesses various functions such as real-time route planning, perception and avoidance of overtaking, automatic parking, and more.

Source : www.chinabuses.org

Editor : Isabella

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Tags: Golden Dragon ASTAR mini-bus