PRT in Vancouver?

Canada_Line · #1 Posted **Apr 24, 2009, 5:04 AM**

I would like to hear your thoughts and opinion of creating a PRT system in Vancouver. I know it is impossible, this is only a fictional dream plan. Also, what do you think of PRT in general? Do you think it could be used in another city? Do you think it will be used one day?

Here are some sites that briefly describe PRT, in case you haven't heard of it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_rapid_transit

http://www.cprt.org/CPRT/Home.html

A negative view of it:
http://www.roadkillbill.com/PRTisaJoke.html

In my opinion, the PRT is too similar to a car and will probably never be possible. But, it's still really cool to look at.

SFUVancouver · #2 Posted **Apr 24, 2009, 5:10 AM**

PRT is not a serious option for urban public transit.

It has zero potential for being a primary, mainline, mode and the cost of the system would preclude it from being any sort of feeder system. The network-based guideway system would require immense amounts of elevated infrastructure and stations. The very attractiveness of PRT, which is personalized vehicles, utterly limits the system carrying capacity to a point where the economics of a project narrow to just a handful of potential applications, such airports, amusment parks, and perhaps large campus environments.

Also, the PRT vision of slim, attractive guideways would just not be possible in today's world where passenger safety for mass transit systems require the ability for people to exit vehicles in an emergency. The lightweight steel guideways of PRT would instead end up looking a lot like our SkyTrain system with concrete construction, walkway guardrails, large emergency exit stairs at stations, and the vehicles themselves would likely have to be designed to allow the ability for passengers to exit in an emergency. The vehicles would likely get larger as a result and before you know it you simply have a low-capacity people mover, which still isn't a viable rapid transit system.

SpongeG · #3 Posted **Apr 24, 2009, 6:09 AM**

it could work for SFU after all thats practically waht the gondola ia

Vancity · #4 Posted **Apr 24, 2009, 6:11 AM**

I'm not sure the a PRT is beneficial to the public. They are so small. Better use for transportation (moving large masses of people) would, and should be something like subway, skytrain, buses, etc. To be honest, I've never even heard of a PRT before. The vehicle themselves look interesting, but that's about as far as it goes. I dunno..just my two cents worth.

SFUVancouver · #5 Posted **Apr 24, 2009, 7:25 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpongeG

it could work for SFU after all thats practically waht the gondola ia

SFU already generates 20,000+ transit trips a day and this is only going to keep climbing. There isn't any need to have a transit system throughout the campus, nor will the existing bus lines be replaced by a PRT system. So really we are only talking point-to-point travel from SkyTrain to the campus, up a mountain, and a high capacity gondola fits the bill.

Vancity · #6 Posted **Apr 24, 2009, 7:28 AM**

Considering that there are plans for expansion of Skytrain all the way to UBC, would there be considerations of extending skytrain up to the SFU campus? That would be efficient for the students going up to SFU, instead of taking the bus (as is the current situation with UBC).

CBeats · #7 Posted **Apr 24, 2009, 7:46 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vancity

Considering that there are plans for expansion of Skytrain all the way to UBC, would there be considerations of extending skytrain up to the SFU campus? That would be efficient for the students going up to SFU, instead of taking the bus (as is the current situation with UBC).

Not gonna happen, for various reasons. That discussion has been had (I think) on the "proposed gondola to SFU" thread.

Now a p2p-type gondola...that would be something else entirely.

NetMapel · #8 Posted **Apr 24, 2009, 7:58 AM**

Seems like something that is akin to the gondola up to SFU from the University M-line station. Hope they build that !

metroXpress · #9 Posted **Apr 24, 2009, 2:13 PM**

PRT simply isn't something we need it our city at the moment. We don't have a decent rapid transit system to take people to the whole Metro Vancouver region and that's what we should focus on now. Like SFU Vancouver said, these can be saved for theme parks, recreational area or campus. Monorail would work better (if we do need another form of elevated rapid transit) and it holds more people.

twoNeurons · #10 Posted **Apr 24, 2009, 4:21 PM**

Car sharing would work better as PRT.

An advanced form of it proposed by MIT.

metroXpress · #11 Posted **Apr 24, 2009, 4:29 PM**

^ Interesting how the second pic shows that it is right outside a subway station.

Mac Write · #12 Posted **Apr 24, 2009, 6:49 PM**

Problem with that car share, is it's still only single occupancy vehicle. How would two or more people share a ride from the transit station? Each take a car? I know they probably have two - five seaters designed as well.

metroXpress · #13 Posted **Apr 24, 2009, 6:55 PM**

Like I said before, Metro Vancouver needs to focus on MASS RAPID TRANSIT at the moment....we need to move people across the region at a faster pace so theyuse the public transit to go to work.

racc · #14 Posted **Apr 24, 2009, 7:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by twoNeurons

Car sharing would work better as PRT.

An advanced form of it proposed by MIT.

A bike sharing system would work much better. Even this car sharing system uses up too much space per vehicle to be practical. With these expensive vehicles, taxis are a better solution for most trips.

Vancity · #15 Posted **Apr 24, 2009, 7:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Allen

Like I said before, Metro Vancouver needs to focus on MASS RAPID TRANSIT at the moment....we need to move people across the region at a faster pace so theyuse the public transit to go to work.

I agree with you. I think that's where Metro Van needs to focus on with regards to public transportation. Moving large masses of people to various points of the lower mainland in the most efficient time possible. As it is right now, we're building it (with the inclusion of the C-line into the Skytrain network), but there is still a long way to go.

Beltliner · #16 Posted **Apr 24, 2009, 7:35 PM**

Believe it or not, PRT was seriously considered in Calgary in the early Seventies after initial plans for a metro system gave way to sticker shock. Upon further review, the city's transportation heads decided against joining Brockway, Ogdenville, and North Haverbrook on the map, picking light rail instead.

The only place I've ever seen PRT work was in Star Frontiers--though come to think of it, if all you're doing with it is facilitating muggings and small-arms fire, you might wanna rethink your mass transit strategy.

Distill3d · #17 Posted **Apr 24, 2009, 9:02 PM**

this system seems very SciFi and impractical in large scale usage. though I do agree that it does seems like a good idea for transport to SFU from the M-Line station.