US DEVELOPMENTS IN ADVANCED TRANSIT SYSTEMS

While fixed right-of-way transit systems of conventional rail type are technologically mature and ready for deployment, the high costs and low rate of traffic diversion are causing planners to rethink the feasibility of using such systems. The increasing social problems of the automobile as a mode, and the apparent difficulties with conventional transit pose a dilemma; this has encouraged several large US manufacturing firms to attempt to develop more advanced modes using full automation, small vehicles, short headways and demand-responsive operation. These developments have been fraught with enormous difficulties, and have not yet produced a truly advanced system that could begin to resolve the dilemma posed previously. Some institutional changes that might increase the rate of development of new systems are suggested.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Presented at the biennial International Conference of Hovercraft, Hydrofoils & Advanced Transit Systems, May 17-20, 1976, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
• Corporate Authors:

  International Hydrofoil Society

  17 Melcombe Court, Dorset Square
  London NW1,   England 
• Authors:
  • ROSS, H R
• Publication Date: 1976

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automated guideway transit; City planning; Development; People movers; Personal rapid transit; Rapid transit; Research; Technological forecasting; Transportation
• Uncontrolled Terms: Research and development
• Old TRIS Terms: Automated guideway systems
• Subject Areas: Operations and Traffic Management; Research; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00152609
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Engineering Index
• Report/Paper Numbers: Conf Paper
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 31 1981 12:00AM