Investigating Economic Viability of Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) System for a University Campus and Its Surroundings

This paper discusses the methodology and results of an economic viability analysis of a demand-responsive personal rapid transit (PRT) system in a Canadian city. A microsimulation model was built to examine the feasibility of a PRT system linking the University of Calgary and surrounding major attractions. The environmental benefits of PRT operation were estimated in terms of reduction of air pollutants. Microsimulation was used to obtain accurate estimates of travel time and access/egress time for PRT and other transit modes, travel time savings for PRT patrons, and estimates of emissions. The investment costs were estimated using data from existing PRT projects (e.g., Heathrow Airport, Cardiff and Daventry, UK and Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates). Ridership was estimated by means of a catchment area method adopted from public transit. A cost-benefit analysis model was developed to evaluate the economic viability of the system, considering the capital and operation costs associated with serving the dispersed sites. The sensitivity of the internal rate of return to changes in demand and investment cost was also investigated.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AP040 Major Activity Center Circulation Systems.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Tahmasseby, Shahram
  • Kattan, Lina
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 92nd Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2013-1-13 to 2013-1-17
• Date: 2013

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 21p
• Monograph Title: TRB 92nd Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Benefit cost analysis; Campus transportation; Economic analysis; Feasibility analysis; Microsimulation; Personal rapid transit; Pollutants; Ridership
• Geographic Terms: Calgary (Canada)
• Subject Areas: Economics; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; I10: Economics and Administration; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01476436
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 13-2124
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 21 2013 1:48PM