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Mobility Innovators

Bus and Train: World’s First ‘dual-mode vehicle’ launched in Japan

The Asa Coast Railway Co. Ltd. is one of the key rail operator in Japan, providing rail services in Tourist location. The company launched the dual mode vehicle which can operate on road, as well as on rail track. The service is launched in the in the town of Kaiyo, Tokushima prefecture of Japan.

Toyota Coaster-based Dual Mode Vehicle (DMV) is the vehicle used by the company. The DMV looks like a minibus and runs on normal rubber tyres on the road. When, it is required to run on track, steel wheels descend from the vehicle’s underbelly onto the rail track and turn it into a rail carriage.

As the population is aging in Japan, many villages are witnessing the shrinking population. It is difficult to sustain transport companies. DMV will help to provide services in small villages for both short and long distances.

The key features are:

  • Fuel: Diesel engine
  • Speed: 60 km/h (track) & 100 km/h (road)
  • Seating: 21 passengers

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