DOST Hybrid Electric Road Train

The Hybrid Electric Road Train (HERT) is a hybrid trackless train developed by the Department of Science and Technology of the Philippines for public transport. The headquarter office is located at New Clark City under the town of Capas, Tarlac, Philippines.

Hybrid Electric Road Train (HERT)
ManufacturerIsuzu
DesignerMetals Industry Research and Development Center
Capacity240 passengers
Specifications
Train length40 m (130 ft)
Articulated sections5
Maximum speed50 km/h (31 mph)
Braking system(s)Regenerative

Background
Driver's cab.

The Hybrid Electric Road Train (HERT) was developed by the Metals Industry Research and Development Center (MIRDC) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST),[1] and is part of the science agency's Advanced Transport Program under the Makina at Teknolohiya Para Sa Bayan (MakiBayan; transl. Machinery and Technology for the Nation) Program.[2] It was designed by Filipino engineers using locally available parts.[3] It was meant to be an alternative to the mass transport system in metropolitan areas experiencing heavy traffic congestion. The HERT consists of five interlinked coaches with air-conditioning and runs on a combination of diesel fuel and electrical power via a 260-battery generator.[1]

Described as a "road train", the Hybrid Electric Road Train operates on roads and does not run on railways. It measures 40 m (130 ft) long, has a maximum speed of 50 km/h (31 mph).[4] Four of the train's coaches are meant for transporting passengers while a lone coach hosts the engine. Each coach has a capacity of 60 people for a total capacity of 240 passengers per trip.[3] The HERT devises a regenerative brake.[5]

Operational history

The Hybrid Electric Road Train was officially launched by the DOST on August 22, 2014.[6] and had its "soft launching" at the Clark Freeport Zone[7] on June 25, 2015 at the Clark Freeport Parade Ground.[8] where it was tested.[9]

In May 2015, the representatives of local government of Cebu City and the DOST signed a memorandum of understanding to work on the integration of the HERT into the city's public transport system.[10] It was also demonstrated during the opening day of the National Science and Technology Week in Pasay[11] in July 2015.[7]

By 2016, the train with modifications has already been adopted by the Clark Development Corporation to serve employees of its 1,000 business locators at the Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone.[2] On February 5, 2016, the train was demonstrated as part of EDSA Evolution, a road-sharing project by the Bayanihan sa Daan Movement and various government agencies. As part of the demonstration, passengers were transported from the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay to the Museo Pambata at the Luneta Park in Manila.[8]

The HERT had its maiden demonstration run in General Santos on November 15, 2017 as a prelude to a trial run of the vehicle for as long as five months.[12]

See also

References
  1. "DOST Hybrid Electric Road Train". DOST-Science and Technology Information Institute. 6 February 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  2. "DOST's hybrid road train hits the highway". Mindanao Daily. 11 February 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  3. "DOST to test Hybrid Road Train in Clark". Department of Energy. Manila Times. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  4. "DOST Hybrid Electric Road Train coming to serve commuters of General Santos City". Philippine Information Agency. 22 September 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  5. Bacero, R.; Manalili, M.G.; Manuel, A.; Tusi, A. (24 November 2017). "Evaluation of Hybrid Electric Road Train (HERT) as an Alternative Mode of Transportation in Metro Manila". Journal of Fundamental and Applied Sciences (Special): 222. doi:10.4314/jfas.v9i7s.22. ISSN 1112-9867. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  6. "DOST's road train rolls off to vehicle test". Science.ph. S&T Media Service, DOST-STII. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  7. "Traffic-choked Manila turns to hybrid bus-train". SciDevNet. 27 July 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  8. Tipan, Eric (9 February 2016). "DOST Hybrid Road Train makes debut at EDSA Evolution". AutoIndustriya. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  9. "'Road trains' tested, deployment in Metro seen within 2-3 years". BusinessWorld. 25 June 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  10. Felicitas, Princess Dawn (6 May 2015). "Electric 'road train' in Cebu?". Sun Star Cebu. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  11. "DOST science week touts Hybrid Road Train". Philippine Canadian Inquirer. 6 August 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  12. "DOST's road train makes maiden demo run in GenSan". MindaNews. 15 November 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
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