Sustainable City Enabled by Personal Rapid Transit
Personal rapid transit (PRT) is now emerging as a potentially viable form of public transportation that has sufficiently
high levels of service to attract significant numbers of drivers from their cars.
PRT is extremely safe, requires little or no waiting and provides non-stop, seated travel. It uses much less energy
than cars and requires only a relatively small infrastructure.
Recognizing the potential benefits of PRT, U.S. cities like San Jose, CA and Ithaca, NY are studying PRT applications.
However these cities were designed and built around the automobile. They are specifically intended to facilitate the
smooth operation of the car. Retrofitting these types of cities with PRT may alleviate some of their traffic problems and
even allow some parking lots to be redeveloped, but will never realize all of the benefits PRT could bring.
The full benefits of PRT can only be realized in a city designed to leverage this exciting form of transportation from the
beginning. Such a city could embody the dreams of many urban planners and be a truly delightful place to live.
Download the 12-page Sustainable City Enabled by Personal Rapid Transit.pdf
or download The Perfect City presentation from the 2010 Heathrow PRT Conference.pdf