Letter of the President

Dear Reader,

What is the last major improvement in transit that has been realized? Cruise control, congestion charging,  high speed trains or perhaps dedicated bike lanes? Or can all these be considered marginal improvements in existing systems?

The members of ATRA believe the last significant leaps forward in transportation were the realization of freeways and the introduction of jet passenger planes – a long time ago. Some of us have been around long enough to have witnessed these changes, yet we continue to hope for more: Advanced Transit.

What is advanced transit? Most importantly advanced transit is an improvement over commonly available means of transit.  Advanced transit systems are some combination of faster, easier to use, less expensive, more fun, more convenient, safer, lower polluting. The systems provide advantages to the passenger, but also to immediate surroundings of the application and society as a whole.

Advanced transit systems come in various forms and configurations. Personal Rapid Transit is an advanced transit concept that has been getting a fair amount of attention – both positive and negative. ATRA aims to be an objective source of information, allowing decision makers to evaluate all aspects.

Because of their smaller scale and greater economy, advanced transit techniques are sometimes called ‘lean’ transit in contrast to ‘mass’ transit.  The members of ATRA envision a future when advanced transportation technologies – a combination of computers, magnetic levitation, and linear motors – will all be orchestrated for the convenience of people and their businesses – as well as for the benefit of our planet. We see advances in both transit technologies and in transit techniques as fundamental to further development of the industrialized economies.

In the developing countries, where resource use and growth remain critical issues, we see advanced transit as essential to their being able to leap-frog many of the problems associated with our current transportation technologies while at the same time supporting the development of prosperous, sustainable economies and lifestyles.

Bob Dunning,

 

ATRA VP