1. Brief
Since FCBs demonstration started formal operation in June 2006, total kilometers driven of three FCBs reach 17,874 km, fc stack worked 1,092 hours, passengers carried more than 2,000.

The acceptation and supports among public considerably contribute to FCB operation. It is necessary and valuable for project implementation to investigate the awareness and increase the understand of FCB technology among public.

On behalf of Beijing project management office, Beijing Orbo Consulting Co. LTD and Beijing Public Transport Company cooperated to launch two times ridership survey in July 2005 and August 2006 respectively. Through comparing the two data before and after demonstration began, the differences of FCB awareness and understand among public were released while the influence of FCB demonstration along route was shown as well.

2. Investigation introduction
Along the demonstration route, investigators chose several sites to disseminate the questionnaires in Beigongmen, Renming University. Haitian Park, Zhongguanchun etc. stops, while had an interview with passengers on bus randomly.

Total 900 questionnaires were disseminated while 845 questionnaires were answered. The effectiveness was 86.2%. 48.3% of interviewee were during 21-30 years old; 16.9% of interviewee were 31-40 years old. Interviewee over 61 years old accounted of 4.7% in survey. 75% of interviewee had university or above educational background. For education of interviewee, 45.8% of people obtain university degree, 49.3% of interviewee graduated from middle school. Only 3.6% and 1.3% of interviewee have master degree and primary education respectively.

The survey contained investigation of FCB concept and theory, safety concern, awareness of demonstration meaning, experience and exception of FCB technology etc.

3. Investigation results

3.1 Understand of FCB technology
In survey, investigator asked the question that many FCB demonstration projects are operating around world. Do you know hydrogen FCB before? As a result, 541 people said they know FCB, accounting for 70% of interviewee. The number of FCB awareness among public reached at 15% rapidly from 55% before demonstration.

Picture 1: awareness of FCB comparing before and after demonstration started

Three are several reasons why the awareness increased. Firstly, many newspaper, TV, websites etc. introduced the project, consequently, that contributed to increase the awareness of FCB in China. Secondly, three special FCBs are considered as ad to promote the awareness along demonstration route. Many interviewee amounted that they saw the FCBS driving on road. Thirdly, project preparation including the handover ceremony of FCB, the first ridership survey etc. enlarged the influence on FC technology among public.

3.2 Safety concern of FCB
The number of interviewee who were worried about FCB safety is quite low, just 0.5%. 155 of interviewee mentioned that they relatively worry about FCB safety. Total 84.5% of interviewee amounted that they do not worry about the issue. Table one shown the difference on FCB safety along demonstration route between before and after demonstration began.

Table 1: Concern for FCB safety among public along demonstration route

For passengers who took FCBs already, the number of people who do not worry about FCB safety decreased significantly from 35% to 88%. These data indicates that FCB demonstration eliminated the concern of FCB safety gradually.

3.3 Experience and exception of FCB
During investigation, many FCB advantages were mentioned comparing normal buses. Based on interviewee chosen, environmental friendly accounting for 88.3% was the first rank of the exception of FCB. Low noise and comfortable were 44.8% and 29.2% respectively. In addition, safety, quick, beautiful etc had supports as well. Public focusing on environmental friendly is consistent with the objective of project, which shown that public understand the meaning.

Regarding passengers’ response, environmental friendly still held the highest supports, comfortable followed it at the second rank. Table 2 illustrated the comparison of public exception and passengers experience in all indicators.

Table 2: Awareness of FCB’s advantages among public

4. Conclusion
The demonstration project for FCB commercialization in China launched two ridership surveys in July 2005 and August 2006 distributing 1100 questionnaires and 900 questionnaires respectively. Especially, investigator held the survey of passengers’ response on FCB.

The results of investigation indicated that the awareness of FCB among public increased significantly, while the concern of FCB safety decreased rapidly. Most interviewee mentioned that environmental friendly was most interested FCB advantage and gave the positive response on FCB demonstration in Beijing. After FCB operation started, the acceptance of FCB for passengers increased as well.