Personal Rapid Transit could be part of our transportation future
Gliding along a raised plat-form in a two- to four-person vehicle may be part of the future of transportation for the Upstate, says a group studying the feasibility of using personal rapid transit or PRT.
PRT uses a fleet of driverless vehicles, usually electric, that run on rubber wheels or via magnets and travel on guideways. These automated “podcars” are typically small, seating between four and eight people. PRT runs on-demand rather than on a set schedule, so it is waiting when passengers are ready to depart.
Greenville County Councilman Fred Payne learned about the technology in October 2012 and is excited about the possibility of PRT being part of the Upstate’s transit system. He noted that the Greenville Pickens Anderson Transportation Study (GPATS) calls for rapid transit by 2030. “I think we could beat that,” he said.
Of course, there has to be political will and economic demand for such a project, said Payne. He added that he thinks that there are private equity firms that would help fund purchase and construction.
One possible connection could be between downtown Greenville and the TD Convention Center, said Payne. Feedback from some visiting the area for a convention cited connectivity as an issue for them, having to rely on shuttles for transportation.
Payne said a PRT system could run along the Laurens Road corridor, linking downtown Greenville with Mauldin and beyond. PRT would be part of a multi-modal system that would incorporate buses, bike/walking paths and parking garages, he said. “When you build one of these stations, economic development follows. Around the station, you want to create a place where people want to live, work, shop and play.”
The technology was launched at London’s Heathrow Airport in May 2011. The system’s manufacturer, Ultra Global PRT, reports that more than 600,000 passengers have used the system since inception – saving 70,000 bus journeys. The airport has included additions to the system in its five-year business plan. In addition, there is a PRT system running in Masdar City, a zero-carbon, environmental city being constructed outside the United Arab Emirates’ capital Abu Dhabi.
In the United States, West Virginia University has operated a five-station PRT system for its campus and the Morgantown community since 1975 and was the first in the country. WVU operates eight-passenger vehicles on approximately nine miles of guideways.
In recent decades, however, no city or county has chosen to be the first to build and operate a modern PRT system. “There are up to 20 companies working on this technology and there’s a lot of interest, but no one has stepped up to say ‘We’ll be number one.’ I think we should be the first,” said Payne.
The group plans to conduct a public opinion survey in about two months, he said.
