News

The people who work in the public transit industry are faced with the demands of society tobetter serve their transportations needs. At the same time, they have a limited set of funds, tools and time to perform the difficult task of providing a great service at a low cost. [more]

We humans like routines. It makes us feel good to have control and know what is ahead of us. It is like being on that same old beaten path where we eventually get to know every stone, bend and scent along the route. Any sudden change on that journey can be startling and is often met by anger, irritation and anxiety - now what? As we adapt to change, we begin to prepare for some of those unexpected incidents by packing tools and supplies that can help us navigate through and cope with these situations.[more]

Beamways is a cost effective, attractive, sustainable and high capacity transportation solution built on proven technology. The Beamways system is optimized for city wide deployment as it has high capacity, small visual impact and great ability to adapt to existing built environments. These design targets are achieved without compromising the environmental aspects, safety, energy consumption or cost level. By adapting a holistic view on all aspects of a city wide PRT system and systematically evaluate all design options Beamways has been able to specify a PRT system which meets the requirements to a very high degree, using proven technology only. [more]

Last April 23, over fifty professionals and stakeholders gathered in the Village West district outside Kansas City to examine the feasibility of PRT, now emerging as commercially viable, taxi-like mobility systems. It was organized by ATRA with support from the Kansas Department of Transportation. Officials from Minnesota, Colorado and California were drawn to it and weren’t disappointed. For five hours, most listened with interest and engaged in intense discussions, sharing news and views of advanced transit options for modern mobility. At times during presentations it was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. Lively discussions took place during breaks and at lunch. This Modern Mobility day conference was a “resounding success” according to one organizer. ATRA President Stan Young was upbeat at the conclusion. Let’s move on! How to mitigate the “risk” of PRT is the main issue. [more]

Rod Diridon, Sr. is called the “father” of modern transit service in Silicon Valley. He is the only person to have chaired the San Francisco Bay Area’s three regional governments: the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, and the Association of Bay Area Governments. In ‘92 Mr. Diridon convened the “Bay Vision 20/20 Commission” to merge those regional bodies. [more]

POSCO, Korea’s steel giant with group-wide revenues of $30Billion, signed an MOU with the government of Suncheon City, South Korea, to build and operate a Personal Rapid Transit system inside the world famous Suncheon Coastal Wetlands Park. This event marks the first time in the world that this next generation PRT public transportation system has been selected by a city government over the other con- ventional systems like metro, monorail or Light Rail Transportation. [more]

In 2007, City Council adopted the Green Vision, a 15 year plan that outlines ten ambitious goals for economic growth and environmental sustainability. San José plans to model the way for economic growth and environmental sustainability by developing new industries, becoming more energy efficient, producing and using electricity from clean, renewable, sources, building green buildings, diverting waste from landfills, and expanding delivery of recycled water. The goals will be measured by a triple bottom line: economic growth, environmental sustainability, and an enhanced quality of life for San José residents and businesses.[more]

It makes absolute sense to combine sustainable transportation with renewable energies, for example solar. Energy can be generated locally where it will be consumed to operate podcars. One advantage is cost saving in the distribution of energy.[more]

“The Economist” states in a positive article about podcars/PRT (“Beyond the stagecoach”, march 2007): that ”hesitant local authorities are the only significant obstacle”. That is the background to the Swedish initiative KOMPASS (*short for Municipalities attempting to go for podcars). A network has seen formed by a rapidly growing number of municipalities in Sweden. Interest is now seen from elsewhere and the network expands globally. [more]

International conference to attract today’s leading transportation experts creating future solutions for tomorrow’s mobility issues. SAN JOSE, CALIF., MARCH 8, 2010—San Jose has been chosen as the site for an international conference focused on developing a new type of automated transit technology known as podcars. Podcar City: San Jose, Innovating Sustainable Communities, will be held on October 27‐29, 2010, at San Jose City Hall, 200 E. Santa Clara St. The event is being organized by the International Institute of Sustainable Transportation, a U.S. non‐profit initiated by the Swedish Institute for Sustainable Transportation and California transportation and energy research institutes. Sponsors include the City of San Jose and the Mineta Transportation Institute, which is affiliated with San Jose State University’s College of Business. San Jose was selected to be the host for this international gathering based on the City’s leadership on innovative, solutions‐based mobility projects, including plans[more]