Personal Rapid Transit

1

• Personal Rapid Transit
• An Emerging
• Urban Transport
• Technology
• Paul Hoffman Booz Allen Hamilton

2
Agenda

• The Urban Transportation Technology Challenge
• Overview of Personal Rapid Transit
• State of the Industry
• Benefit Summary

3
19th Century Options for a 21st Century Problem

• Expansion of current modes is limited by
• High costs
• Land availability
• Impact and public acceptance
• Highways
• Expensive in urban areas
• Limited land availability
• Metro/Commuter Rail
• Expensive in urban areas
• Light Rail
• High service factor but limited by surface
  traffic unless separated at higher cost
• Bus
• Low cost but limited by surface traffic and
  slower trip times
• Additional capacity is needed
• ITS can optimize current road infrastructure
• Congestion pricing can manage demand

New infrastructure that offers high service and
capacity at a reasonable cost and impact is also
needed to meet growing demand
4
The Genesis of PRT - Needs and Features

• A New Paradigm for Urban Public Transportation
• PRT has been engineered to serve modern urban
  needs

• ENGINEERED FEATURE
• Faster, personalized service with wide access to
  attract automobile users
• Non-stop, on-demand service with private,
  seated-only vehicles
• Lower costs, smaller footprint and tighter
  turning radius
• Smaller infrastructure for stations, track and
  right-of-way
• Reduced staffing, reduced energy use and reduced
  maintenance
• Small, lightweight vehicles operating non-stop
  and on demand
• Quiet, electric vehicles
• Short headways and high average speed through
  automation and non-stop trip

• NEED
• Reduce congestion, improve mobility
• Faster and more attractive service
• Improve urban access, impact and integration
• Lower capital costs
• Lower operating costs
• Reduced energy use
• Reduced pollution

5
Technology Overview PRT Fundamentals

• Fundamental elements of PRT
• On-demand, non-stop, origin-to-destination
  service
• Small, automated vehicles
• Off-line stations
• Small, exclusive use guideways
• Network of connected guideways
• Combines advanced technologies
• Automotive
• Computing
• Networking
• Transit

PRT represents a new option for urban
transportation with potential for higher access
and service at a lower cost than current transit
options.
6
Components of PRT Small Automated Vehicles

• Vehicle size designed for location-specific
  traveling group size
• Nationally 93 of all trips are in groups of 3 or
  less
• Average commuter group size is approximately 1.1
  persons
• Current designs have 3-4 passenger capacity
• Larger vehicles possible for group needs or
  baggage capacity
• Cargo or freight vehicles can allow increased
  revenue in off-peak
• All seated passengers provide higher comfort and
  allow higher accelerations and tighter turns

Skyweb Express
ULTra
Vectus
7
Components of PRT Small Automated Vehicles

• Automated vehicles use state-of-the-art
  technologies including

• Advanced electric propulsion systems
• Low-maintenance, limited moving parts
• Commercial components
• Lightweight advanced materials

• Automated switching and guidance
• High-speed controls and communication
• Redundant, high-reliability designs

Vectus Control and Communication System
Skyweb Express Prototype
8
Components of PRT Off-Line Stations

• Off-line stations allow
• Direct point-to-point service without
  intermediate stopping
• Adding stations without reducing main-line
  service
• Stations sized to the local demand
• Flexible station positioning
• Non-stop trips allow
• Higher average speed
• Reduced energy use
• Increased trip comfort

9
Components of PRT Small Exclusive Use Guideways

• Guideways are engineered with the small vehicles
  to provide
• Small beams, posts and foundations
• Minimum visual impact
• Tight integration with urban buildings, streets
  and utilities
• Minimum right of way requirements

10
Components of PRT Network of Exclusive Guideways

• PRT systems use networks that can
• Support distributed demand
• Provide circulation and distribution
• Complement and supplement conventional rail
  systems
• Expand over time to provide longer distance
  service

District 1
Line-Haul Rail System
11
Scalable Transit Networks

• PRT systems have the potential to evolve from
  local circulation and distribution systems to a
  full regional network

District 1
District 2
District 3
12
A New Paradigm Distributed Demand, Small
Infrastructure

• Conventional Guideway Transit
• Compact travelers into a few large vehicles
• Large guideway, large posts
• Scheduled service, long vehicle headways
• Higher costs, higher visual impact
• Personal Rapid Transit
• Distribute travelers among many small vehicles
• Small guideway, small posts
• On-demand service, short vehicle headways
• Lower costs, lower impact

13
Potential PRT Applications

• Urbanized Area
• Central Business District circulator
• High density area connector
• Feeder to existing transit stations/hubs
• Connector/distributor from satellite parking
  facilities
• Potential alternative to LRT, BRT or Monorail
  development or expansion
• Urban goods and light freight movement
• Activity Center/Campus
• Circulator within entertainment/tourism district
  
• Circulator within/between college or business
  campuses
• Airport landside and airside access
• Feeder to existing transit stations/hubs
• Connector/distributor from satellite parking
  facilities

14
Small Infrastructure Benefits

• Potential installation along
• Median or shoulder along commercial arterials or
  thoroughfares
• Curb line of major streets
• Minimizes environmental impact
• Quiet operation
• Low vibration
• Small visual impact
• No direct emissions
• Small stations allow
• Installation in building interiors
• Free standing structures
• Integrated into new additions

15
PRT has undergone over 30 years of development
Aerospace - USA
CVS - Japan
Cabintaxi - Germany
Morgantown System - USA
Chicago RTA/Raytheon - USA
16
ULTra

• Developed by Automated Transport Systems UK
• Initial funding from University of Bristol and
  extensive studies by the European Union EDICT
  program
• Partnership with British Airport Authority and
  European consortium of firms
• Test track in Cardiff Wales
• Heathrow implementation underway with August 2008
  target opening

Images courtesy of ATS
17
Vectus

• Joint venture led by Posco Steel and affiliates
  of Korea with WGH and Noventus European partners
• Initial technology development at POSTECH Pohang
  Univ. of Science and Technology in Korea
• Extensive technology development program in Korea
• Test track in Uppsala Sweden
• Target commercial readiness in 2008

Images courtesy of Vectus
18
Skyweb Express

• Developed by Taxi 2000 Corporation - Minnesota
• Initial development at University of Minnesota
  with private funds supporting ongoing efforts
• Significant history of development, engineering,
  research, application studies and PRT promotion
• Prototype vehicle and guideway section in
  Minnesota
• Pursuing programs in the Middle East

Images courtesy of Taxi 2000
19
PRT Technology Maturation

• PRT has followed an extended RD stage and is
  entering an early adopter stage of maturation

Large Scale Urban Mass Market
Regulated Utilities, Commoditization
Small Moderate Scale Systems
Standardization, Public/Private Development
Early Adopters - Public Systems
Morgantown
Heathrow, UAE? Sweden? Virginia?
Applied Research -Prototype and Pilot Systems
Cabintaxi, CVS, Raytheon, ULTRa, EDICT, Vectus
Basic Research -Concept Development
We are at a technology inflection point
Aerospace, UMTA, AGRT, U of M
20
Summary PRT State-of-the-Industry

• Active or past test track operation
• ULTra, Vectus, 2GetThere, CabinTaxi, Raytheon,
  CVS, Morgantown, Aramis
• Current prototype development
• SkyWeb Express, Microrail, Coaster, Ecotaxi/Kone
• Readiness
• Significant research, engineering, development
  and application studies for over 40 years
• Advanced technology components are proven and
  ready to support an integrated PRT system
• Current efforts provide a solid foundation for
  initial application analysis, engineering and
  development
• Acceptance
• Cities and regions continue to display interest
  in PRT across the globe
• Lack of understanding and risk aversion limit PRT
  acceptance in the US
• Research and development
• Korean, Swedish and British development programs
  underway
• Current application interest and procurements
• Great Britain Heathrow, Daventry UAE Korea
  Europe

21
Benefit Summary

• PRT has the potential to offer
• High level of service and average speed that can
  potentially attract drivers from their cars and
  help relieve congestion
• Lower capital costs than other fixed rail options
• Competitive operating costs and capacity with
  other mid-level fixed guideway systems
• Small and flexible infrastructure and opportunity
  to integrate and expand existing transportation
  systems with potentially reduced urban disruption
• Reduced energy, noise, vibration and visual
  impact than other fixed guideway systems

22
Next Time

• Cost and Performance Comparisons with Other
  Transit Options
• Development and Operations
• The Private Utility Transportation Business Model
• Next Steps for Virginia