Urban shuttles and articulated urban buses

Decree on urban passenger transport vehicles

Public passenger transport in urban and suburban areas is provided by buses and coaches. Given that the number of passengers is not constant throughout the day, manufacturers have developed prototype vehicles with modifiable passenger capacities. These new vehicles do not fall under the definitions in the international vehicle categories.

As there are no harmonised European rules in this area and the European Commission services do not have plans to legislate in the short or medium term, the intention is to approve the vehicles solely at national level.

In such circumstances, the only means of allowing a new type of vehicle (urban shuttle) and group of vehicles (articulated urban buses) to be approved and circulate in built-up areas to transport passengers is to include the new mode of transport in the Highway Code [Code de la route]. This can be done in particular by creating a new definition under Article R311-1 for ‘urban shuttle’, namely: a motor vehicle designed and manufactured to transport passengers exclusively in built-up areas, not covered by the definitions in the international categories M1, M2 and M3 and with the capacity to transport, in addition to the driver, a minimum of 9 and a maximum of 16 passengers, of which a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 5 may be seated.

The option to transport passengers in towed vehicles will also be provided for by adding the following definition for ‘articulated urban buses’ under Article R311-1: a combination of connected vehicles exclusively providing a passenger transport service in built-up areas and comprising one motorised vehicle to transport passengers towing a maximum of three non-motorised vehicles.

The technical rules to ensure the safety of passengers and other road users will be laid down in specific decrees.