2013 Session: 234

• Personal Rapid Transit Studies in Two Scandinavian Cities
  Abstract: Two city studies are presented for the application of the Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) in the city centre of two Scandinavian cities (Uppsala in Sweden and Trondheim in Norway). The city studies were performed in the EC CityMobil project - a project aiming at achieving a more effective organisation of urban transport by testing four different technologies of automated transport systems in large scale demonstrations, showcases, and city studies - through two different simulation tools: MARS (Metropolitan Activity Relocation Simulator) in Trondheim, and PRTsim in Uppsala. The networks foreseen for the two city studies were similar, with 4-place vehicles circulating with an average speed of about 40 km/h. The results of the simulations were provided in terms of six indicators: total number of daily passengers trips, system modal share, non-car modal share, total number of accidents, capital costs of the system, ratio between benefits and costs due to the PRT introduction. As a summary of the results, PRT is able to have a modal share between 20% and 30% if used as public transport in the city centre of two small/medium cities as Uppsala and Trondheim. Ad hoc measures to push people to leave the use of the private car would allow such modal share to increase. An investment between 70 and 75 millions € is required to implement the systems, which are able to provide benefits covering all the investment and operating costs in few years.
  Authors: Stam, Daniele; Alessandrini, Adriano
  Authors: Stam, Daniele; Alessandrini, Adriano
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation
  Session: 234
  Paper Number: 13-2699
• Case Study Analysis of SkyCabs Monobeam System
  Abstract: The increase in motorcar popularity caused a decline in public transportation patronage. The increase of private cars on the streets of Auckland in New Zealand adds to congestion which costs billions of dollars in wasted time, fuel and increase of road accidents. This study examines the SkyCabs system as a way to alleviate some of the traffic problems of Auckland as a case study. SkyCabs is an elevated two-way monobeam carrying light eight-seater cabs on tracks on each side of the beam, available on demand, providing fast, pollution-free, unimpeded travel above the footpath with panoramic views of the city. The goal of this study is to investigate the attractiveness of implementing the SkyCabs system to and from Auckland central business district (CBD) and Auckland international airport by examining four variables: different routes, different number of stops/stations, different passenger-demand levels, and different number of cabs in the system. The analysis made utilizes GIS and simulation tools for the various scenarios considered. The results show that it is possible to assess the cost-benefit of alternative routes in terms of those four variables and rate of return on investment. That is, the main results attained are CBD-airport optimum routing of 27.7 km and 25-30 minutes journey time with 28-year return period for 5 million demand (minimum level of 2016), 9.5-year for 15 million, and 4.5-year for 30 million. Implementation of such a system is feasible because it has competitive pricing, increases the public transportation use, and has an attractive level of service.
  Authors: Ceder, Avishai; Hadas, Yuval
  Authors: Ceder, Avishai; Hadas, Yuval
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation
  Session: 234
  Paper Number: 13-3733
• Investigating Economic Viability of Personal Rapid Transit System for a University Campus and Its Surroundings
  Authors: Tahmasseby, Shahram
  Authors: Tahmasseby, Shahram
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation
  Session: 234
  Paper Number: 13-2124
• Investigating Economic Viability of Personal Rapid Transit System for a University Campus and Its Surroundings
  Authors: Kattan, Lina
  Authors: Kattan, Lina
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation
  Session: 234
  Paper Number: 13-2124
• Personal Rapid Transit Studies in Two Scandinavian Cities
  Authors: Stam, Daniele
  Authors: Stam, Daniele
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation
  Session: 234
  Paper Number: 13-2699
• Investigating Economic Viability of Personal Rapid Transit System for a University Campus and Its Surroundings
  Abstract:

  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.

  Authors: Tahmasseby, Shahram; Kattan, Lina
  Authors: Tahmasseby, Shahram; Kattan, Lina
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation
  Session: 234
  Paper Number: 13-2124