Personal Rapid Transit in New Zealand - Future Transit Now

The paper reviews the evolution of the PRT concept from its modern beginning in 1953.  The early inventors, the projects, and the response of government are discussed.  PRT activity diminished to almost nothing by 1980, but then revived strongly as a result of activity by the Northeastern Illinois Regional Transportation Authority.  Their interest ignited enthusiastic activity on a growing front to the point that today one can truly say that the concept is coming of age

This paper compares the middle two options among the spectrum listed above. Alternative #3 will be referred to hereinafter as "Single Mode" or SM. Alternative #4 is called "Dual Mode" or DM. DM has the advantage over SM for auto drivers that the same vehicle may be taken for any trip, just as occurs now with one's own automobile. In many respects, DM is much like the system envisioned by advocates of alternative #5, an Intelligent Vehicle Highway System, except that special narrower guideways could be used for the automated guideway portion of the trip.

Dr Anderson provides answers to frequently asked questions at Branson Missouri and other cities.

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A comparison of the energy use per passenger-mile of eight modes of urban transportation is made in terms of eleven variables, resulting in conclusions about the direction transit system design should take to provide adequate transportation with minimum energy use. The method can easily be programmed on a personal computer to be used to study the effects of parameter variations on energy use.