“Trouble on the Bus”, Call in the Mediation Police

A Dublin Solicitor, just back from a business trip in China spotted an unusual looking bus whilst he was stuck in a massive traffic jam in one of China’s major cities. Having recently completed an Accredited Mediator Training in Dublin, the signage on this funny looking bus caught his immediate attention. City Bus in the Chinese capital Beijing have just added a new route to their vast network, a ”Mediation Bus”. It’s an unique initiative aimed at dealing with growing disputes and altercations on the buses in the city to and reduce pressure on the capital stressed out transport officials.

Part of the problem here is that in recent years rising vehicle ownership has outpaced the growth of China’s roadway system and its become the norm in Beijing to spend many hours behind the wheel!. The problem was particularly bad in September, they had a massive traffic jam outside the capital which lasted for 11 days and stretched back around the city for about 100 km. A minor case of what we may have endured a few years ago with M50 Gridlock, the Beijing traffic jam takes on a new dimension.

The  “Dispute Resolution Mediation Bus”, is the first of its kind of in China, is the latest attempt by the public transport officials of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau  to reduce disputes on their buses. Apart from the problem of the traffic jams and the gridlock, overcrowding, problems with tickets and late-running buses have increased the disputes among people using public transport by 20% annually in recent years.

Beijing is a vast city and bus terminals and stations are miles apart and the transportation police cannot always arrive on time to resolve disputes. Along comes the “Mediation Bus” which is constantly searching circling the city and can move around and arrive at the spot in time. It started out as a pilot project in early October and it’s proved very effective and popular with the Chinese travelling public who can go online and request the immediate assistance of the Mediation Bus or call for immediate access to ADR by mobile phone or text message.

The Chinese traffic jam problem and trouble on the bus is not expected to be solved overnight and the officials have plans to put another 10 such mediation buses on the ADR route around the Chinese capital. This service is run by volunteers and it’s free to members of the public.