Hybrid Electric Road Train (HERT)
DesignerDOST–MIRDC
Formation5 cars consisting of 1 power car and 4 passenger cars
Capacity240 passengers
Specifications
Train length40 m (130 ft)
Doors1 double-sliding door on each car
Maximum speed50 km/h (31 mph)
Weight10 t (10,000 kg)[1]
TransmissionHybrid diesel-electric
HVACAir-conditioning units[1]
Braking system(s)Regenerative

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.

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),[2] 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.[3] It was designed by Filipino engineers using locally available parts.[4] It was meant to be an alternative to the mass transport system in metropolitan areas experiencing heavy traffic congestion.

On August 11, 2021, the DOST signed an agreement with an Ilagan-based consortium for the manufacturing of the HERT in Isabela.[5]

Specifications

The Hybrid Electric Road Train consists of five interlinked coaches with air-conditioning and runs on a combination of diesel fuel and electrical power via a 260-battery generator.[2] Described as a "road train", the HERT operates on roads and does not run on railways. It measures 40 m (130 ft) long, and has a maximum speed of 50 km/h (31 mph).[6] 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.[4] The HERT devises a regenerative brake.[7]

There are two variants of the Hybrid Electric Road Train: the 160-passenger variant and the bigger 240-passenger variant.[8]


Operational history

The Hybrid Electric Road Train was officially launched by the DOST on August 22, 2014.[9] and had its "soft launching" at the Clark Freeport Zone[10] on June 25, 2015 at the Clark Freeport Parade Ground, where it was tested.[11][12]

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.[13] It was also demonstrated during the opening day of the National Science and Technology Week in Pasay[14] in July 2015.[10]

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.[3] 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.[11]

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.[15]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "DOST Hybrid Road Train: Possible Solution to Traffic Congestion". Wazzup Pilipinas. August 3, 2015. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "DOST Hybrid Electric Road Train". DOST-Science and Technology Information Institute. February 6, 2016. Archived from the original on April 22, 2017. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  3. ^ a b "DOST's hybrid road train hits the highway". Mindanao Daily. February 11, 2016. Retrieved November 15, 2018.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ a b Palaña, Aberon Voltaire (June 24, 2015). "DOST to test Hybrid Road Train in Clark". The Manila Times. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  5. ^ Arayata, Ma. Cristina (August 11, 2021). "Ilagan City to fabricate hybrid road train". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  6. ^ "DOST Hybrid Electric Road Train coming to serve commuters of General Santos City". Philippine Information Agency. September 22, 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  7. ^ Bacero, R.; Manalili, M.G.; Manuel, A.; Tusi, A. (November 24, 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 November 15, 2018.
  8. ^ Lazcano, Joy M. (November 26, 2021). "COOL RIDE WITH THE HYBRID ELECTRIC ROAD TRAIN GOES TO ILAGAN CITY". Department of Science and Technology-Science and Technology Information Institute. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  9. ^ "DOST's road train rolls off to vehicle test". Science.ph. S&T Media Service, DOST-STII. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  10. ^ a b "Traffic-choked Manila turns to hybrid bus-train". SciDevNet. July 27, 2015. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  11. ^ a b Tipan, Eric (February 9, 2016). "DOST Hybrid Road Train makes debut at EDSA Evolution". AutoIndustriya. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  12. ^ "'Road trains' tested, deployment in Metro seen within 2-3 years". BusinessWorld. June 25, 2015. Archived from the original on November 16, 2018. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  13. ^ Felicitas, Princess Dawn (May 6, 2015). "Electric 'road train' in Cebu?". Sun Star Cebu. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  14. ^ "DOST science week touts Hybrid Road Train". Philippine Canadian Inquirer. August 6, 2015. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  15. ^ "DOST's road train makes maiden demo run in GenSan". MindaNews. November 15, 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
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