New Technology Feeder Systems

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New Technology Feeder Systems
Advanced Transit Association Seminar May 4-5,
2007 West Virginia University Morgantown, W
V Robert Johnson R. E. Johnson
ConsultingRockville, Marylandwww.autoroadvehicle
s.com
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New Technology for Small People Movers

• Electronics replace mechanical parts
• Lateral control steers like a car
• On-board power supply, usually batteries
• Guideway is just exclusive, light duty road
• Often called Automated Road Vehicles
• New technology may not always be best (wide
  guideway, snow removal issues)

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Examples of New Technology Vehicles

• ParkShuttle Minibus
• ULTra Personal Rapid Transit
• CyberCab PRT/Microbus

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ParkShuttle Minibus

• Has carried the public on one-mile route near
  Rotterdam
• 20-25 passengers
• 20 mph (32 kph)
• lead-acid batteries, recharges in off-peak

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ULTra Personal Rapid Transit Vehicle

• Scheduled to begin service at Heathrow airport,
  London in 2008
• Four passengers
• 25 mph (40 kph)
• Battery powered

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CyberCab PRT/Microbus

• Designed by same company that developed the
  ParkShuttle
• 6 passengers
• 25 mph (32 kph)

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Proposed Interior Showing Two Fold-Down Seats
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At-Grade Exclusive Roadway
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ULTra One-Way Elevated Guideway
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Tunnel Under Cross Street
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Principles of Operation

• Shared service, not private
• Minimum headway 5-10 seconds
• Maximum grade 10
• Low interior headroom means all seated, but
  acceleration and jerk limits set for standees
• Wheelchairs not secured
• Cant be sure all passengers are seated

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Two-Way Guideways

• Other lane is emergency walkway
• Two-way is not twice as expensive
• Direct routes reduce vehicle miles
• Easier to put two-way guideway at grade must
  have grade separation to allow access to area
  within a one-way loop

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End-of-Line Station
Vehicles back out of berths into turn-around area
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Guideway Routing

• Place guideways at grade whenever possible
• Stations at grade eliminate elevator costs
• Run guideways behind buildings, not in front
• If possible, guideways should cross streets, not
  run along them

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Layout of Feeder Systems for the Morgantown PRT

• All are a single two-way line, no branches
• Most have stations at end points only
• One system also has a center platform station
  along the line

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Four possible feeder systems for the Morgantown
PRT
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Research Park Extension
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Sunnyside Line - Detail
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Operating Parameters
Based on maximum speed of 25 mph (40 kph)
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Approximate Unit Capital Costs

• Two-way elevated guideway 10M / mile, not
  strongly dependent on vehicle weight
• Two-way at-grade 1.5M - 3M / mile land
• 6-passenger vehicles 150K - 200K
• 20-passenger vehicles 500K
• Central control 200K ? per system, but some
  savings if multiple systems

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Additional Data Needed for System Costs

• Unit capital costs for stations
• Site specific construction costs
• Unit operating costs for vehicles
• Other O M costs
• Operating policy, for example maximum wait time
  in the off peak
• Patronage

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Benefits

• Student / Faculty / Staff mobility
• Removing cars from streets improves traffic flow
  for all drivers
• Reduced need for expensive parking structures
• Increased value of land near stations

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For more information on Automated Road
Vehiclesplease seewww.autoroadvehicles.com