The Metronit (Hebrew: מטרונית, pronounced Metro-neet), will be a new bus rapid transit system in Haifa, Israel, using the Phileas concept. This bus line is unique to Israel in that it will use bi-articulated buses on specific routes. The choice of this mode of transport was due to the advantage of limiting damage to environment, increased capacity on existing roads and reduced operating costs compared to a standard bus or light rail line.
The buses, operating with hybrid engines, will follow set routes along a magnetic or optical strip embedded in the road.
The name was chosen for several reasons, among them: The similarity with the existing Carmelit and Shkhunatit (an internal neighbourhood minibus system).
The project is being developed by Yefe Nof, owned by Haifa city hall, involved in planning public transportation, infrastructure, and other building projects in the Haifa metropolitan area.
The Metronit is set to be completed by fall 2012, and a tender for its operation was published in September 2009. On August 4, 2010, it was announced that Dan won the tender to operate the system for 12 years. The system will employ about 100 18m long high-capacity buses on three lines, with a total length of 40 km. The cost of the system is estimated at 1.5 billion NIS (approximately $400 million US).[1]
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