GETTING AROUND TOWN: AUTOMATIC URBAN TRANSIT

This paper which holds that prospects for personal and group rapid transit hinge on technology, safety, polities and economics, discusses personal rapid transit (PRT) systems, group rapid transit (GRT), automatic individual- vehicle systems, and the advanced service concept demonstration project in Morgantown. The automatic, individual-vehicle transit system has found commercial application in many cities and is now being converted to use partial magnetic levitation (maglev) and linear motors. The 3-station Morgantown system includes 8.6 km of a single-lane guideway, most of it elevated, and 45 completely automotic vehicles with a capacity of 8 setting and 12 or 13 standing passengers. A second phase of the MOrgantown project will add several miles of guideway, 2 new stations, and additional rubber-tired vehicles. When fully operative, the system will carry about 14.4 million persons per year and will cover its operation costs through 25-cent tickets and $3.00 monthly passes. Transit systems in France, Germany and Japan are briefly outlined. The controversy about safety standards for large-scale PRTs are discussed and comments are made regarding their efficiency advantage over the automobile. Public acceptance of such systems and the role of politics are also discussed.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00189235
• Corporate Authors:

  Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

  3 Park Avenue, 17th Floor
  New York, NY  United States  10016-5997
• Authors:
  • Wade, R M
• Publication Date: 1976-3

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos;
• Pagination: p. 55-58
• Serial:
  • IEEE Spectrum
  • Volume: 13
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
  • ISSN: 0018-9235

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automated vehicle control; Automatic control; Demonstration projects; Economics; Elevated guideways; Fares; Magnetic levitation; Personal rapid transit; Politics; Public opinion; Public transit; Safety; Standards; Technology; Tires; Transportation; Urban transportation
• Old TRIS Terms: Automated transit system
• Subject Areas: Economics; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00139350
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 16 1982 12:00AM