STATUS AND PROSPECTS OF THE AUTOMATED GUIDEWAY TRANSIT INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES

Since the late 1970s, many changes have taken place in the firms that are active in providing automated guideway transit (AGT) systems. Many U.S. firms once active in the industry have withdrawn, and at the same time a number of foreign firms have demonstrated that they can compete effectively within the United States. Recent history of the U.S. portion of the industry is reviewed and interpreted in the light of the nature of the AGT market; the types of firms that were at one time in the industry as well as those that remain; and the dynamics of entry and exit in the industry. Based on this background, the future prospects for the industry are discussed. The importance of the role of the federal government, and as a result, the existence of two AGT markets-federal and nonfederal--is emphasized. The primary focus is on the federal AGT market, and the following implications of both U.S. and foreign governmental roles for U.S. firms are explored: high business development costs, frequent lapses in program continuity, high levels of dependence on local decision making in spite of federal funding for system planning and implementation, and disparities in levels of support for AGT research and development from country to country.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1984/991/991-006.pdf
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on New Transportation Systems and Technology.
• Authors:
  • Ruiter, Earl R
  • Neumann, Lance A
• Publication Date: 1984

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 38-48
• Monograph Title: Social and technological issues in transportation planning
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 991
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automated guideway transit; Development; Forecasting; History; Industries; Policy; Research; Technology assessment
• Identifier Terms: U.S. Urban Mass Transportation Administration
• Uncontrolled Terms: Research and development
• Old TRIS Terms: Government policies
• Subject Areas: Highways; History; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Policy; Public Transportation; Research; Society; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00450908
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309038006
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Feb 28 1986 12:00AM