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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.

The Regional Secretary of Florianópolis, Mr Renato Hinnig, has met with ULTra Global PRT‘s commercial director, Fraser Brown. ULTra is working on a detailed feasibility study for the Brazilian city to provide a PRT system for urban mobility.

Also slated for 2014 is skyTran’s PRT system for Tel Aviv in Israel. The system would run from the high-tech center in Atidim through the Tel Aviv University train station to the Tel Aviv-Jaffa Port.

“Our objective is to build a pilot project here so that we can make Israel the center of the skyTran world,” – skyTran CEO Jerry Sanders.

It is with great sorrow that we learnt of the death of the inventor and entrepreneur Martin Lowson.

For over 15 years Martin has been a driving force behind the mainstream acceptance of PRT. The rocket scientist was an innovator and pioneer in the personal rapid transit industry, he will be sadly missed by his colleagues within ATRA and the ATRA Industry Group.

The announcement from ULTra Global PRT:
“It is with great regret and sadness that Ultra announces the death of its founder and President, Professor Martin Lowson. After a distinguished career in rocketry and helicopter design, Martin started Ultra in 1995 to solve the question of why so few people use public transport. With some of his students from Bristol University and help from other colleagues, he began an 18 year journey to take Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) from idea to reality. Martin’s tireless energy and tenacity saw him build a team of talented people that started by building Europe’s first PRT track in Cardiff in 2000, then went on to sell the world’s first commercial and airport based PRT system to Heathrow Airport in 2005. The Heathrow system went live in 2011 and for the last 2 years has been carrying paying passengers to great commercial and passenger acclaim.

His innovation has led thousands of engineers, civic and political leaders to come to Heathrow to see and understand what such technology could do for other towns and cities throughout the world. Martin was firmly in the long tradition of British engineers with a global influence.

Latterly in his role as President Martin has been involved in work with stakeholders in Bristol to study the feasibility of a PRT system around the Temple Meads station and new enterprise zone. Martin has also been Ultra’s key point of contact with ATRA and specifically the ATRA Industry Group.

Martin leaves his wife Ann, daughter Sarah and son Jonathan. Our thoughts go out to them all at this time.”

PRT systems are currently being considered in both Shimla, India and Greenville in South Carolina. The Himachal Pradesh government is looking for a solution to combat congestion in Shimla and Dharamsala while in the States the aim is to connect Greenville and neighbouring Mauldin.

Read more about the Greenville proposal here.

Read more about the Shimla proposal here.

Heathrow has partnered with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) to bring the best in traditional English gardens to welcome passengers into London.

Between 15 April and 25 May, over 8 million passengers travelling through Heathrow will be welcomed with distinctive garden displays to celebrate National Gardening Week (15 – 21 April) and the Chelsea Flower Show (21 – 25 May).

Passengers at Terminal 5 will be greeted by customised pods especially commissioned for this event.

Heathrow Airport Limited’s business plan for the next five years (April 2014-2019, also known as Q6) includes an additional Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system. The proposed system which will run from Terminals 2 & 3 out to the terminal’s own particular business car parks will aid Heathrow Airport Limited in its vision to create a far simpler Central Terminal Area for passengers.
The new Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system will be the second installed at Heathrow. The currently operational system connects the Terminal 5 Business Car Park with Terminal 5 and is hugely successful. The system has been operational since May 2011 has carried over 600,000 passengers to date, has removed the need for 70,000 bus journeys on Heathrow’s roads each year and has maintained availability figures of around 99.7%.
In response to the news, Ultra Global Managing Director Fraser Brown commented, ‘We are thrilled to hear of Heathrow’s inclusion of a further PRT system in Q6, the success of Heathrow POD has demonstrated the huge potential in PRT to deliver an effective sustainable first/last mile solution around campus locations such as airports as well as providing a distributor service from ‘heavier’ transport interchanges such as rail stations. It is an endorsement of the Ultra system that less than two years after opening the world’s first airport PRT system, Heathrow wants to build more.’
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will now publish a consultation on their initial proposals for aeronautical charges at Heathrow before making a final decision in January 2014. The Q6 Period will begin in April 2014 and run through to 2019.
The full Heathrow Airport Limited Q6 Business Plan can be found here.

With 2013 around the corner, it is time to renew your ATRA membership. Whether you are an individual or a company, ATRA unites professionals with an interest in advanced transit.

Individuals:
– Full Membership: $50
– Student Membership: $35
– Lifetime Membership: $1000

Companies:
– Corporate Member: $500
– Industry Group Member: $1500**conditions apply, please visit the ATRA IG pages for more information.

It is now possible to renew your membership online through paypal. Please follow this link and select your appropriate option.

In recent months, real progress has been made in South Korea’s Suncheon Bay concerning the construction of the necessary infrastructure for Vectus’ much anticipated PRT system.

Vectus, a subsidiary of Korean steel giant POSCO, is currently building the first PRT network in the Asia Pacific region. Due to open for commercial service in time for the 2013 International Garden Expo, hosted by Korea for the first time, the 5km-long elevated link will serve the Coastal Wetlands Park on Suncheon Bay.

Download the full update here: Suncheon Bay Update 2012