Beijing will launch 173 short-term free shuttle bus lines during the summer Olympics, the Beijing Morning Post quoted an official with the Beijing Municipal Committee of Communication as saying.

The lines will begin operations from July 20, before the Olympic village opens, and end at September 20, three days after the Paralympics concludes, Liu Xiaoming said on Tuesday.

Seven of the 34 special Olympic lines will run 24 hours a day. The committee has devised a detailed operation plan, in which time intervals between buses will be shortened before a competition begins and after it finishes.

Around 9,491 vehicles will provide direct or indirect service to the Beijing Olympics, and about 33,000 transportation service workers will be needed. Currently, 17,000 drivers have been recruited, and are now in training. Other personnel are still under recruitment.

The amount of motor vehicles will exceed 3.3 million in Beijing during the 2008 Olympics, and a special management policy may be put into force. In addition, other measures may be taken to smooth the traffic, such as adjusting office and shop hours.

(CRIENGLISH.com January 23, 2008)