It's not far away now. Masdar City in the United Arab Emirates will have its PRT up and running this year. Watch for the PRT cars part-way through the video
On July 22, the City Council of Santa Cruz, CA, decided by a 6-1 vote to go ahead with an RFQ (Request for Qualification) with the aim of inviting PRT manufacturers to design, build and possibly operate a Podcar system between the City of Santa Cruz and the University of California Campus. The main objectives are to find solutions to increasing parking problems, congestion, and pollution and to lower greenhouse gas emissions. The RFQ clearly states the importance of aesthetics, seeking to insure that such a system does not detract from the City's renowned ambiance.
Several professors and researchers at University of California Santa Cruz support the Council decision, and recently an $80.000 grant was awarded to the University for Podcar related studies.
PODCAR CITY ITHACA is exactly what Al Gore calls for!
Written by Administrator
Sunday, 27 July 2008 05:53
Excerpt from Podcar City conference newsletter
On Thursday July 17, 2008 Former Vice President Al Gore posed a
âChallenge to re-power Americaâ by putting forth a framework of a plan
that is focused on addressing the significant global warming, climate
and economic issues of our time. He is seeking to shake up an energy
debate by challenging the United States to shift its entire electricity
sector to carbon-free wind, solar and geothermal power within 10 years,
and in part use that power to fuel a new fleet of electric vehicles.
Right on cue, PODCAR CITY: ITHACA offers a ground-breaking
international conference that purposely addresses these critical issues
by highlighting and discussing the most up to date and forward thinking
sustainable transit and land-use strategies in the world. On September
14 â 16, 2008, experts in the fields of climate-change, peak oil,
alternative energy, engineering, planning, and information technology
will convene in Ithaca, NY to explore alternatives to American cardependency
with an aim to accelerate the evolution of sustainable
cities, and thus a more socially and ecologically balanced planet.
My name is Will Wilson. I am the Director of the Dynamicus Foundation, a private trust in New Zealand. Back in November of 2006 Auckland was debating intensely what stadium should be used for the Rugby World Cup in 2011. This was an event for which New Zealand had won the hosting rights and was now required to deliver a world class stadium in a world class manner.
Just prior to that I had been reviewing some research on transit options and had come across Personal Rapid Transit. I knew nothing about transit but nevertheless I was truly inspired by the technology and its potential here for Auckland and the Rugby World Cup. So much so, that I wrote to Dr Ed Anderson, the
world's leading authority on Personal Rapid Transit. I described the issues Auckland is facing with transit and the upcoming Rugby World Cup. It was clear he was absolutely passionate about PRT even after 35 years of continous development of this idea. He noted Auckland's transit woes were typical but expressed a keen interest to see PRT established here.
We have established a working relationship a result of which was my decision to create this website www.prtnz.com
The goals of PRTNZ are to
establish and promote awareneness and uptake of PRT in
New Zealand.
bring up to date occurences in relation to PRT across the world
address transit issues in Auckland and New Zealand and point to PRT as a solution
bring about a commercial
deployment of PRT in Auckland and across main centres in New Zealand
If you would like to support these endeavours just contact us here
So, what is PRT? Well it's Personal Rapid Transit and it is something that we in Auckland and New Zealand for that matter, should get to know more about. Why? - Because it is a transit solution whose time really has come. That is a bit of a statement to make but I am comfortable in making it. But first a bit more about PRT as a transit technology.
Dynamicus Foundation, a private trust, has undertaken to support Personal Rapid Transit in New Zealand. In November 2006, Director, Will Wilson entered into a working relationship with Dr Ed Anderson, the world's leading authority on Personal Rapid Transit. Dr Anderson has expressed a very keen interest to see PRT in New Zealand.
PRTNZ Blog
