Changzhou, Jiangsu province, is trialling an upgraded "cloud bus" system that blends public-transport pricing with ride-hailing flexibility in a push to cut operating costs and improve rural mobility.

Changzhou residents can book five-seat electric cars that operate as official bus services. At a village stop in Xinbei district, 74-year-old Yun Xiaofang tapped his senior card to reserve a ride to a hospital. "I don't have to wait an hour anymore," he said in a People's Daily report on Wednesday.

The program has undergone rapid upgrades. Chen Ling, general manager of Changzhou Public Transport Group, said the city first tested a "book-and-respond" model in 2023 to reduce empty runs on lightly used routes. In June, the service shifted to smaller electric cars after Changzhou authorities approved a regulatory change reclassifying taxis as bus vehicles.

A third-generation version launched in August, offering fixed stops but no fixed routes. "Once passengers book, the car takes the shortest path point-to-point," said Chen.

Villagers say the change has cut travel times. Zhang Wenxian, 66, who regularly books a two-kilometer ride to transfer into the city, said: "It's the price of a bus but as flexible as a taxi. And it takes the shortcut."

Chen said the impact is significant: energy use has halved, vehicle purchase costs are down to one-seventh of traditional e-buses, and passenger numbers on some routes have doubled.

A 4.0 version is planned that will create a flexible network weaving multiple routes together to better connect rural and urban areas, he said.

Qi Zichen contributed to this story.