Bus timetables will soon be history. Travel at a time of your choosing and get there twice as fast. Does this sound like a dream?
Small, fast, railbound vehicles for a few people that you can call for from the stop – they arrive in a trice, and take you wherever you want. Simple and convenient, and with no crowding. Another advantage is that the effect on the environment is reduced when more people stop using cars, and the risk of accidents is at the same time minimal. Use of a track in Uppsala is currently being tested, so perhaps we will soon all be able to experience what it feels like to be whisked along using a PRT system.
Twice as good at half the price
It is of course unclear what PRT will actually cost when it is in commercial operation, but calculations show that the PRT system may be very cost-effective. If you take into consideration operating and environmental costs, costs resulting from accidents and passenger and investment costs, it looks like it will be half as expensive as buses.
PRT is fast and safe
In the field of public transport one speaks of door-to-door trips, but how long do they actually take? If the frequency of buses is favourable they are generally deemed to attain a speed of 13 km/hr. By way of comparison, the speed of PRT is estimated to be as high as 28 km/hr for the 250 metres between stops, i.e. about twice as fast!
Safety is another factor. PRT units that do not get into conflict with other road users can actually achieve a real zero vision – a very important reason, making PRT an interesting challenge to the car.