Traditionally PRT has found many opponents in the US possibly, in part, due to the expensive failure of the Raytheon Company’s PRT 2000 transportation system and the teething problems of the Morgantown PRT system. However, attitudes towards PRT may be changing.
Government Technology – a magazine covering information technology’s role in state and local governments in the US – has published the article “Personal Rapid Transit Revival?” which discusses the barriers to acceptance of PRT.
ChicagoBusiness.com has issued a challenge to architects and designers and other visionaries to tell them how they would finish the Chicago Transit Authority’s never-completed, giant train hub under Block 37. Local designers Brain Dennen and Andrew Bonesz proposed repurposing the Block 37 station for autonomous electric pod cars. Read more about the ideas here.
Kjensmo Walker, representing the International Institute of Sustainable Transportation, was in Anchorage, Alaska to propose a PRT system which would allow residents access to consistent, sustainable and affordable public transportation.
Read more about her presentation and the history of PRT in Alaska here.
A PRT system has been proposed for Boston’s Mt. Vernon Street.
The comments on this article on The Atlantic Cities website reflect some of the current debate around PRT.
In his 2011 Ted talk Bill Ford (executive chair of the Ford Motor Company) discusses many solutions to urban congestion including PRT.