Personal Rapid Transit System Research Articles

Law's artefacts: Personal rapid transit and public narratives of hitchhiking and crime.

The West Virginia University (WVU) Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system was built between 1971 and 1975 in Morgantown, West Virginia to be a prototype transportation system of the future. Envisioned as a hybrid of public and automotive transportation, the fully automated cars deliver passengers directly to their destinations without stopping at intervening stations. The PRT concept may be familiar to STS scholars through Latour's study of Aramis, a PRT in Paris that was never completed. This article recounts a history with the opposite ending: the successful realization of a PRT in West Virginia. Our account supplements existing ones, which explain the construction of the WVUPRT primarily as the product of geography and politics. While not denying these factors, we carve out an explanatory role for another influence: a public narrative about the dangers of hitchhiking and crimes that might ensue from that practice. In weaving together that narrative with the history of the WVUPRT, we show how public narratives of crime authorize technological infrastructure.

Deflection reduction of the guideway of aerial PRT systems by horizontal supports

Controlling the deflection of the aerial personal rapid transit (PRT) structure is crucial to the system’s riding comfort and energy efficiency. A nonlinear elastic analysis of a beam under combined axial and transverse loads is conducted to show a new mechanism to stiffen the PRT structure by using horizontal support. Although the classic beam theory often neglects the effect of the tensile axial force, when the deflection caused by the transverse load is large, the tensile axial force may significantly contribute to the mitigation of overall deflection, particularly for thin, long beams. Using the governing equation of beam with an axial force, the Green’s function is obtained for different boundary conditions. To demonstrate and validate the theory, three-point bending tests have been conducted for three boundary conditions: (1) two roller supports with a varying horizontal load; (2) two clamped supports with a varying horizontal load; and (3) two fixed supports with rigid constraints, which passively induce a tensile force by the transverse load. The formulation captures the nonlinear elastic behavior of the beams with horizontal constraints or axial forces, which shows that the maximum deflection of the 11 beams can reduce 38%–87% under the elastic load range. The Green’s function can be applied to arbitrary transverse loads in structural design. A smart cushion system is invented to provide horizontal support to the guideway of a lightweight, stiffened aerial PRT structure.

An Agile Approach for Lifecycle Integration in Personal Rapid Transit Systems Engineering

Dependable systems pose particular challenges to system developers who try to implement agile approaches to tackle the problem of requirements scope creep. However, legislation compliance, safety case development, and other strong contextual influences may be seen to inhibit the implementation of any approaches other than the traditional linear life cycles, even though agility may be able to improve the development process in parts. This article discusses key success factors when integrating agile with structured systems development life cycle approaches. The authors adopt an empirical approach and analyse a historical case study of a personal rapid transit (PRT) system, reflecting on key factors and relating those to the relevant literature. Based on these experiences, a model for the integration of agile with structured systems lifecycle models in dependable systems is developed. This model addresses the challenge of integrating multiple lifecycles of potentially conflicting objectives within a single programme.

Personal rapid transit capacity evaluation for inner-city: A detailed micro-simulation study

This paper describes a detailed, discrete-event, micro-simulation study of an inner-city personal rapid transit (PRT) system, for the purpose of evaluating the capacity of such a system and the effect of various parameters on this capacity. While former studies considered various parameters, most considered only a partial set of the overall set of parameters considered by this paper. In many cases these parameters were treated differently from the model proposed here, which thus provides valuable insights for future research. This evaluation is crucial for justifying construction of such a system, and for judging its feasibility and may provide an initial step towards creating a PRT manual, similar to the Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual (TCQSM). The complex operation and structure of the problem suggests micro-simulation as a viable tool for this study. This necessitates tailoring a solution using general simulation software rather than a transportation-oriented tool. The simulation evaluated the capacity under three major scenarios related to passenger arrival characteristics. The results show that the capacity is not sensitive to pod velocity, nor to acceleration/deceleration rates, but is sensitive to the number of pods and suggests an optimal pod quantity.

Assessment of Personal Rapid Transit System Configurations Regarding Efficiency and Service Quality

In order to transform cities into more liveable, safe, and sustainable places, we must shift our mobility paradigms. As one auspicious concept amongst novel intelligent transportation systems, personal rapid transit (PRT) disaggregates urban transportation into small, electric vessels that are centrally operated on dedicated infrastructure, yielding the potential to make public transit more convenient, affordable, and sustainable all at once. In light of this, we examined the potential performance of PRT in a medium-sized German city. Utilizing the traffic simulator SUMO, as well as a specifically developed open source mobility scenario consisting of infrastructure and travel demand, we assessed the level of service and efficiency. We found that a fleet of 30 vehicles can serve the mobility demand of the chosen city while passenger waiting times are guaranteed to stay below three minutes. Vehicle occupancies can be doubled when coordinating vehicles between stations instead of letting them idle randomly. Furthermore, our results show that different combinations of system designs and operating strategies succeed in meeting typical performance requirements—for instance, an operating strategy where unoccupied vehicles idle randomly can effectively compensate for a reduced fleetsize. Depending on the preliminaries of specific cities, such as the availability of space, travel behavior, political background, or acceptable investment and operational costs, a matching transportation system can be designed around the quantitative findings obtained in this study.

Techno-economic analysis of energy supply to personal rapid transit (PRT) systems

Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) is an innovative form of urban transportation which might provide an alternative to car use. PRT is conceptualized by an array of autonomous pods, providing shared riding service to a small number of travelers per vehicle, on a dedicated guideway. PRT is considered by many to be a travel mode that reduces energy use and emissions levels, compared with traditional cars. To evaluate the cost effectiveness and benefits associated with the energy consumed by a typical urban PRT system, a detailed techno-economic analysis of two energy supply alternatives is presented. The technologies considered are: battery storage and third-rail conductors. This paper demonstrates a methodological approach to evaluate PRT energy costs, illustrated by a case study: the city of Herzliya (ISR). First, a PRT system model was developed, including both infrastructure design and operational characteristics, with a total track length of 12.5 km. Then, vehicles tractive and grid energy requirements were derived from the case study data using rigid body mechanics and lumped powertrain properties. Following, an economic evaluation was carried out taking into account capital costs as well as operating costs based on tractive, auxiliary and parasitic energy requirements. In both cases, the energy consumption is about 0.08 [kWh/p-km], while the energy costs are 0.031 and 0.100 [$/p-km] for the battery and third rail, respectively. Future research is discussed in the directions of further modeling development and extending the scope of alternatives.

Optimal Coordinated Charging and Routing Scheme of Electric Vehicles in Distribution Grids: Real Grid Cases

The government policies and benefits led to the surge in penetration of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) and Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) into both public and private sectors. Power Grids are dynamic with load and generation varying, and wide spread adoption of PHEVs can jeopardize and endanger the operation and security of the distribution grids due to overloading and congestion. This paper develops two optimization models, one is for the routing algorithm of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) to find the minimum energy consumption for Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system in a collegiate environment. The other optimization model is for charging a maximum number of PHEVs interfaced with American Electric Power (AEP) utility system. Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) is used to determine the charging schedules of PHEVs to minimize the power system overloading. MILP is also used to find the optimum charging schedule of BEVs to satisfy the passenger demand of the transit system. Different charging strategies have been developed, and their effects on distribution system voltage profile and losses have been illustrated. We used the real-time data for the PRT routing algorithm. PHEV customers are categorized into different real-world Demand Response (DR) participants capable of flattening the load curve. A time series simulation of a distribution feeder test system is performed to show the feasibility of the proposed methods. Case studies on AEP system and West Virginia University transportation system were carried out. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed optimization framework in reducing system peak load and satisfying the demand while utilizing minimum number of BEVs.

On COVID-19-safety ranking of seats in intercontinental commercial aircrafts: A preliminary multiphysics computational perspective

The evolution of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) into a pandemic has severely hampered the usage of public transit systems. In a post-COVID-19 world, we may see an increased reliance on autonomous cars and personal rapid transit (PRT) systems, with inherent physical distancing, over buses, trains and aircraft for intracity, intercity, and interstate travel. However, air travel would continue to be the dominant mode of intercontinental transportation for humans. In this study, we perform a comprehensive computational analysis, using ANSYS Fluent, of typical intercontinental aircraft ventilation systems to determine the seat where environmental factors are most conducive to human comfort with regards to air quality, protection from orally or nasally released pollutants such as CO2 and coronavirus, and thermal comfort levels. Air velocity, temperature, and air pollutant concentration emitted from the nose/mouth of fellow travelers are considered for both Boeing and Airbus planes. In each plane, first class, business class, and economy class sections were analyzed. We present conclusions as to which is the optimum seat in each section of each plane and provide the data of the environmental conditions to support our inferences. The findings may be used by the general public to decide which seat to occupy for their next intercontinental flight. Alternatively, the commercial airliners can use such a model to plan the occupancy of the aircraft on long-duration intercontinental flights (viz., Airbus A380 and Boeing B747).Electronic Supplementary MaterialSupplementary material is available for this article at 10.1007/s12273-021-0774-y and is accessible for authorized users.

New High-Speed Rail System Proposed by August Scherl. Passenger Traffic Improvement Project

We reproduce an article first published in 1910 that describes in detail engineering projects, that were not only being developed but widely discussed. Those projects were dedicated to development of rapid, and particularly high-speed transportation in Berlin. The developments of that time reflected broad engineering views. It seems to be an attempt to integrate into a single project all the promising ideas regarding technical advancements as well as optimal transport modelling, routing schemes, traffic organisation, urban spatial planning. The discussion touched upon radial and ring traffic system, integration of the urban transportation system into national and even global one, splitting of passenger and freight traffic and infrastructure, and engineering decisions have reminded about contemporary monorail, elevated railways, light metro, and even personal rapid transit systems… The article attracted attention in Germany, as well as in other countries, and was reproduced in Zheleznodorozhnoe Delo [Railway Business] journal. Probably, many described aspects besides historical ones might be of interest today as well.

Analysis and Optimization of Driving Attitude and Oscillation Characteristics of Suspension-Type Small Rail Vehicles

Suspension-type small rail personal rapid transit systems are widely concerned due to their high efficiency and reliability. The increasing demands for ride comfort have put forward higher requirements for vehicle stationarity. In the study, with a single-bogie vehicle as the research object, a dynamic equation and a simulation model are firstly established to calculate the attitude angle and lateral velocity of the vehicle. Then, with the small amplitude and fast attenuation of the attitude angle and lateral velocity in a straight line and a bend as optimization objectives, the simulation model is optimized in terms of a series of variables, including the bogie with or without the supporting wheel, the supporting wheel tread, the driving wheel tread, the guide wheel tread, and the changes of the center of mass of the vehicle. Then, the problem of severe vehicle pitch with the double-bogie structure is solved. Finally, the simulation results and the optimization scheme are experimentally verified. The above optimization measures can significantly improve the driving stationarity of suspension-type small rail vehicles and enhance ride comfort.

Stochastic optimization for price-based unit commitment in renewable energy-based personal rapid transit systems in sustainable smart cities

Power resources scheduling and planning have a great impact on today’s sustainable cities. The conventional power plants as well as renewable energy resources should be committed to considering social, technical, economic, and environmental sustainability optimally. On the other hand, transportation electrification is one of the key pillars of today’s smart cities. In this paper, the generation capacity is scheduled to meet system’s loadability using a new personal rapid transit system, which is carried out utilizing a price-based unit commitment (PBUC) that maximizes profit based on price signals in the context of a stochastic optimization scheme. The personal rapid transit system at the University of West Virginia is considered as a case study based on several prescribed planning scenarios. Wind power energy, as one of the popular renewable energy sources, is considered for power generation. The integrated simulation and optimization results confirm the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed PBUC methodology.

The concept of the PRT traffic control and management sys-tem

The paper presented the PRT (Personal Rapid Transit) control and traffic management system. The genesis of the use of information systems for control and PRT traffic management was made. The concept of the PRT system was defined, a review of these systems and their structure was carried out. The mechanical and ergonomic systems of PRT vehicles have been described. The chassis structure and the ergonomics of the PRT vehicle cabs have been characterized. The process of estimating traffic conditions and simulations of exemplary PRT vehicles have been described. An analysis of the PRT system was carried out, the purpose of which is to determine the optimal number of PRT stations guaranteeing optimal service provision, in terms of the demand for PRT services. The stages of designing the PRT circulation system for districts on the outskirts of the city are illustrated. The OPTIMAL program tool (C-CAD) has been used.

Feasibility Study on the Introduction of Personal Rapid Transit System in Visakhapatnam

Feasibility Study on the Introduction of Personal Rapid Transit System in Visakhapatnam

Dealing with the Empty Vehicle Movements in Personal Rapid Transit System with Batteries Constraints in a Dynamic Context

The Personal Rapid Transit is a new emergent transportation tool. It relies on using a set of small driverless electric vehicles to transport people on demand. Because of the specific on-demand characteristic of the Personal Rapid Transit system, many Personal Rapid Transit vehicles would move empty which results in a high level of wasted transportation capacity. This is enhanced while using Personal Rapid Transit vehicles with limited electric battery capacity. This paper deals with this problem in a real time context while minimizing the set of empty vehicle movements. First, a mathematical formulation to benchmark waiting time of passengers in Personal Rapid Transit systems is proposed. Then, a simulation model that captures the main features of the Personal Rapid Transit system is developed. A decision support system which integrates several real time solution strategies as well as a simulation module is proposed. Our dispatching strategies are evaluated and compared based on our simulation model. The efficiency of our method is tested through extensive test studies.

Benchmarking of Personal Rapid Transit System (Dynamic Model)

Abstract PRT is an efficient rapid transit system which provides the last mile connectivity to the users with a high level of reliability and comfort. There is absence of existing benchmarks for PRT in both India and abroad. Dwarka, New Delhi, in India has been taken as the case study area for carrying out the feasibility study of PRT. Primary and secondary data has been collected for the planning of PRT. The base year trips and logit model outputs have been used for the travel demand estimation. Different international and Indian case studies have been reviewed to understand the operations and costs associated with PRT systems. A detailed financial analysis has been carried out for the formulation of benchmarks. The analysis results obtained from the dynamic model can be used to predict various parameters including the base year trips for a specified fare to achieve internal rate of return (IRR) of 18%, which is considered as the optimum IRR for investing in a project. This dynamic model for benchmarking of PRT systems has been developed using Visual Basic scripting overlay on a standard financial analysis model. The Model works on the inputs of Demand, Operational and Financial Parameters. Each of the seventeen input factors can be tweaked using slider bars in the model to see how a change in any of the variables will impact the financial feasibility of the project. The Model has been validated using the data on PRT studies for Amritsar and Trivandrum. The Model can be used to justify the development of PRT in any other city in India. The Model works on the inputs of Demand, Operational and Financial Parameters.

Simulation method for determining traction power of ATN–PRT vehicle

The construction of Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) vehicle made within the framework of Eco-Mobility project has been described in the present paper. Key features of the vehicles were identified – e.g. drive with three-phase linear motor with winding on the vehicle and fixed rotor in the road surface, contactless dynamic vehicle powering. Attention was paid to the difference in dynamic properties compared to rail vehicles, related to the lack of the so-called ‘centering mechanism’. A development of a nominal model for the analysis of vehicle drive properties was presented. Results of simulation studies were presented for a vehicle with running-drive system construction, planned for implementation in the city of Rzeszów (Poland). While discussing the problems of building a PRT system, there was a focus on the issue of determining power and traction of the vehicle. A methodology for determining the power and traction energy consumption of the vehicle was presented for assumed conditions of travel on road segments. Input values for the calculation of power are variables describing the curvature (or bends radii) of paths of movement between stops and the course of the current speed. Output values are total traction power or traction energy (where ‘traction’ refers to the power or mechanical work of drive forces). Three basic elements of traction power were isolated: the power of kinetic energy (for acceleration/delay of vehicle movement) basic (to offset the aerodynamic force of motion resistance at constant speed) and additional losses (to offset additional motion resistance forces operating in turns at constant speed). Due to the lack of vehicle prototypes with assumed structure, it was proposed that these components are determined via simulation. The presented results relate to the calculation of demand for power and energy for the planned test section. The scope of further work was indicated: determining the required traction characteristics of electric drive, selecting the best values for supercapacitor’s capacity in the drive system, determining the technical parameters of substation.

Demand estimation of Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) using stated preference technique and binary logit models

Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) is an efficient rapid transit system which provides the last mile connectivity to the users with a high level of reliability and comfort. This paper is focused on the estimation of travel demand for a PRT system in an area using stated preference technique and binary logit models. Dwarka is a township in south-western region of New Delhi, India, and it has been selected as the case study area for this study. Primary data has been collected during household and establishment surveys in the area. The surveys were conducted using stated preference technique and coupled with willingness to pay survey. Further, binary logit models have been developed to estimate a 36 percent (222,456 trips per day) shift to PRT from the existing modes in the area. Travel demand estimation is one of the critical aspects of planning a PRT system in an area. Using stated preference technique and binary logit models, the travel demand can be estimated very precisely for any area-wide or a larger city-wide PRT system.

A holistic approach for performance assessment of personal rapid transit

Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) has received increased attention in recent years due to technological innovation and the need for safer, more efficient, and more sustainable transport systems in dense urban areas. PRT service is on demand, and provides a good level of service due to short waiting time with no intermediate stops. The cost to run the system is lower compared to traditional transport systems due to utilizing autonomous pods.While a number of studies have focused on specific aspects of the performance of PRT, there is still a lack of comprehensive assessment of PRT's performance from the perspectives of both operators and users. This paper addresses this gap by proposing a set of PRT-specific Key Performance Indicators (KPI) relevant to its operational characteristics (e.g. pod utilization, total distance travelled) and user experience (e.g. average waiting time, delay). The proposed KPIs are demonstrated through a simulation study. The findings made in this paper constitute the first step towards comprehensive benchmarking for PRT systems, and facilitate comparative analyses of different PRT systems to help operators identify and implement best practise.

個別輸送システムインターチェンジのモデル化と輻輳現象の解析

個別輸送システムインターチェンジのモデル化と輻輳現象の解析

Heathrow Personal Rapid Transit System

This case study looks at the development of the urban light transit personal rapid transit system, which has been in operation at Heathrow's Terminal 5 since 2011 transporting users to and from a remote business car park. This study describes the challenge of developing and installing the system while the new terminal building and its surrounding infrastructure was being built and the constraints that this imposed on the design process. It goes on to describe how the design team developed a relatively low cost and modular approach to building the guideways for the system's driverless vehicles and the challenges of threading the guideway through the existing and emerging infrastructure of the new terminal. This study ends with a discussion of lessons learned during the project, some analysis of the benefits of such systems and a look ahead to how their use could reshape cities and give master-planners new options with which to improve the urban environment.