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The technology behind the O-Bahn is remarkably simple and flexible. Specially modified buses with guide-wheels attached to the steering arms are used to travel on the O-Bahn, which enter by aligning the bus with the track which is made of concrete. This technology allows the bus to travel at up to a speed of 100km/h. The system is capable of moving 18,000 people an hour in each direction. The O-Bahn consists of 5,800 sleepers, 5,600 pylons drilled to a depth of 3 metres, 4,200 track pieces, 25 bridges, 8 pedestrian overpasses and a 60 metre-long tunnel.
The buses are driven noramally on ordinary streets.
The O-Bahn is serviced by three stations, the Klemzig Station, Paradise Interchange and Tea Tree Plaza Interchange. Service frequency ranges from 1 to 3 minutes from Monday to Friday in peak periods, every 5 minutes in other times and from 12 to 15 minutes on weekends, public holidays and after 6pm.
There is a current proposal to implement an O-Bahn in the Southern suburbs of Adelaide, rather than extending the rail system. This was proposed by the former State Transport Minister, Dorothy Kotz , but has not had a lot of favour among the current Labor government which is focusing on the development of light rail in the inner city. There are also suggestions about extending the current O-Bahn to Golden Grove .
Since the O-Bahn is almost a one of a kind, it is included a range of categories, as shown below:
Adelaide Metro Light rail Busway Bus transport