There are many companies with ideas for how the public should use transit. One of the main sites monitoring the Advanced Transit industry stopped updating its site several years ago.

Transportation Options

           The options available to today’s transportation are limited. Electric motors are making a comeback after a hundred-year absence. Maglev technology is being implemented in China. As computer technology advances, the world needs a significant change in transportation.

Electric Cars and the Futility of Automobile-Centric Growth

           The current social trend in transportation is electric and autonomous cars. The trend towards autonomous cars is driven by the computer industry. This new computer technology has very little to do with advances of transportation modes and continues the unsustainability of automobiles within urban growth. 

          While it is true that electric cars use more efficient motors than gasoline and diesel engines, the unsustainable nature of roadbeds and traffic jams is unchanged. Autonomous cars further remove the necessity of human existence. Rabbits, cats, and dogs could be used as chauffeurs but the unsustainability of cars still remains. The internal combustion motor is not efficient but the friction involved in an automobile is beyond comprehension as to why it even exists today as the primary source of transportation. Am I cynical to make the assumption that the existence of the automobile is predominantly due to the money involved and politics? 

Maglev Technology

 Speaking of politics being involved with the exorbitant expense of large-scale urban public transportation systems, magnetic levitation train systems have been completed and operating in only one country. Communism doesn’t have the freedom of an adversary political party. China is now building its fifth maglev train system; the USA has none. 

 The leader in efficient transportation technology is magnetic levitation. This technology isn’t available for the automobile industry.

As to the earlier statement from Malcolm Gladwell’s book, today’s growing youth are adapting to change and seeking alternatives to the automobile. These young people are well accustomed to technology. Many large and financially powerful tech companies are luring this generation towards adapting to its movement to autonomous automobiles. The reception is cold. 

           The solution? Maglev transportation technology.

           For an explanation of maglev technology, the following is a segment from a presentation written a few years ago. Several of the companies are no longer in business and there are a few companies in existence now that weren’t created then. 

New technology transit systems fit into the model for environmentally sustainable urban growth by using clean advanced transit technology, which also provides the convenience of on-demand and direct-to-destination capability.

           What is environmentally sustainable about these advanced transit technologies? Many system designs include solar electric generation for power, and are computer operated for increased vehicle frequencies, stress relief of navigation, low noise levels, public accessibility, public Rights-of-Ways (ROW), and as a convenience, they maximize overall economic productivity by reducing wait times. To afford increases of heavier ridership, new technology transit is automatically able to comply with an increase in the frequency of a vehicle’s headway (distance between vehicles) via the computerized technology, which shuttles more vehicles to particular locations. 

           In urban planning, the demand for transportation is proportionate to the increase in population. As populations grow, transportation loads expand at a proportionally greater rate, and there is an increased appetite for land consumption and improved mobility. By investing in an on-demand transit system, traffic congestion is mitigated through the use and application of this advanced technology. By the implementation of new technology transit in regional urban planning, the increased traffic loads are mitigated.

           As the automobile is wholly unsustainable, oil-based surface streets cause ground water hazards. The massive proliferation of roads and automobiles are no longer a viable resource for mobility. 

           Maglev technology in transit systems provide mobility solutions for true environmental sustainability. Part of the efficiency in nontrain maglev transit systems are the two fundamentals: weight and resistance. 

           In comparing maglev, automobile technology requires a 3,000-pound vehicle to carry a single 200-pound load. The efficiency of nontrain maglev technology is its ability to design lightweight vehicle systems. Granted, a passenger carrier weighs a comparable weight of an automobile without a heavy steel frame and a motor. Without contact to the ground, however, it remains virtually weightless and maintains efficiency. With maglev, a 500-pound load can be propelled by a one-quarter horse electric motor (Lev-X). Resistance caused by the friction of moving parts in an automobile causes massive inefficiencies. There are no moving parts on a passive maglev transit system: the load carrying vehicles are levitated by the magnetic force of the passive guideway, and are therefore not attached as moving parts.

 Maglev transit technology is sustainable transportation, which requires maglev technology to proliferate. The most efficient form of transportation is found within passive magnetic guideways, which encompass a different technological approach than the methodology used to electrify the guideways with electromagnetism. Electrified guideway technology seen in the commercialized Transrapid system in Shanghai and other train systems being developed are much more complicated and more costly. The cost of building nonelectrified guideway infrastructure for smaller, lightweight vehicles is substantially less expensive; nontrain direct-to-destination technology is more efficient as an urban transportation system. 

           Maglev systems can be designed to encompass global travel. With no resistance and encapsulated in an air evacuated tube, there is further reduction of air resistance; one maglev system in development, ET3, has computer simulated its travel speed at Mach 6 with an efficiency rate incomparable to any other form of transportation system. 

           The explanation for high efficiency in new technology transit systems is found in the agility of vehicle size; smaller vehicles that weigh less require less intensive infrastructure. Another ingredient of nontrain new technology transit technology is the interactive computerization of automatic track, or guideway switching, which lowers system maintenance and increases overall system efficiency with bypassing unwarranted station stops.

           It is impractical to believe all passengers on a train in our modern society would have the same destination. From the perspective of a train passenger in the 2000s, why should any single rider be inconvenienced to constantly waste their time for every other passenger to board and exit along the route, then be forced to be taken somewhere other than the door of their destination and obligated to obtain other means of transportation to and from a passenger loading station? Trains provided a marvelous service for society’s transportation needs when train systems began delivering passengers in the 1800s. In the early 1900s, buses provided lower initial operating costs by using citizen-paid tax road funds, eliminating infrastructure as an operational expense, and yet are still not able to offer the convenience of independent travel needs. 

           A modern approach to transportation needs requires the attainment of environmental sustainability. New technology transit offers the opportunity for creativity in building methodologies and urban design. Lower-cost infrastructure with the flexibility of small vehicle availability allows private development to participate in Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) reduction. These computerized, smaller-sized vehicle systems offer on-demand and direct-to-destination service, which is ideal for commerce center TODs (transit-oriented developments). 

           The new technology transit industry uses systems that have computer-controlled vehicles which do not operate on a schedule; the vehicles are housed at the stations and are made available to passengers when the passenger activates the ticketing process at the station. When the passengers assign their destination at the ticketing station, the system arranges the route to that destination. These station locations are ideal for infill real estate redevelopment with concentrated commerce centers to utilize clean energy generation and fully self-contained developments using green building techniques.

           There are other environmental automobile alternatives besides the existing maglev projects and what is traditionally referred to as light rail. PRT (Personal Rapid Transit) or Personal Automated Transport (PAT) is the transportation technology system of a closed-loop circulation path. Some PRT systems are one-to-six passenger pod type vehicles which use rubber tires on a concrete guideway. The advantage with certain types of these systems is the computerized direct-to-destination networking capabilities. Other PRT systems are built as parking lot circulators with a similar look to a ski lift. A majority of PRT systems are not designed with long-distance capability. The existing APMs (Automated People Movers) serving as airport circulators do not include the sophisticated networking computerization that offer direct-to-destination capability. 

           Generally speaking, PRT systems can be built with infrastructure costs much lower than the heavy traditional light rail systems currently used. Also in development are systems with efficiency unparalleled in sustainability. 

           Some of the transit systems in development offering effective and efficient technology could easily replace conventional transit systems. 

           One such notable technology is CyberTran®. With regenerative braking and dynamic allocation of system resources, CyberTran is very energy efficient. Running on electrical energy, CyberTran emits 98 percent less greenhouse gases than cars per passenger mile. In 2007, this company was nominated for the first World Clean Energy Award in the area of Transport and Mobility. Even though this company is not a maglev system, it offers technological advances that the maglev train transit systems aren’t able to offer, plus the advantage of much lower infrastructure costs.

           Applied Levitation’s technology surpasses the efficiency of CyberTran with a passive magnetic guideway and a vehicle that has no contact resistance or moving parts. Its Linear Induction Motor propels the vehicles along the guideway with an efficiency in an urban environment that has no equal in the world of transportation.

           Systems of more traditional types of transit technology with greatly increased efficiency are currently offered throughout the world. One such system is Metrail, a monorail transit system that offers a variable power source. This is the most technologically advanced monorail system available. 

           Demand on the urban planning industry to move towards environmental sustainability dictates that the change to take place to include these new technology transit systems for meeting any reduction of VMT.

           Further implementation of 1800s technology is insufficient for today’s mobility demands. The currently used traditional transit technology enables status quo patterns of urban growth which increase auto-centric traffic loads. Incremental steps of technological evolution including highway Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and on-board vehicle radar, lidar, and image processing serve to manage negative impacts of perpetuating auto-centric increase rather than the needed reduction of VMT. While swiveling headlights to anticipate turns is incredible technology that surpasses the Tucker, these new computerized technologies that assist drivers with a drowsy driver monitoring system, lane assist, blind spot assist, night view assist, and radar-assisted obstacle detection braking systems do little to eliminate traffic congestion and urban sprawl.

           Cars offer independence and convenience. Urban planning has to include the door-to-door convenience of an automobile without the environmental damage. Conveyer belts and train technology of the 1800s is inapt for the demands of 2000s car-oriented society.

           Conclusion: an automobile alternative is necessary before the automobile can be replaced in an automobile oriented urban setting. This will require a cultural shift found in the disruptive nature of innovations.

           A maglev system that reaches speeds of Mach 6 is an improvement for transportation that a car can never provide. New Technology Transit presents innovations to improve our travel needs: innovations that cause no noise, no damaging air quality impact, and with an 8-foot tube trenched halfway in the dirt, cause minimal visual intrusion. Yet to build such systems have projected cost estimates from $10 million to $15 million per mile with an elevated system. Contrast this to the current political mindset: the existing policy is to use massive vehicles and heavy train sets with antique technology that squeal an excruciating 120 decibels with a visual intrusion that is a violation of common ethics. Add to this the insult that the infrastructure capitalization will cost taxpayers over $70 million per mile at grade, over $120 million elevated, and over $300 million per mile underground. This modernized 150 year-old technology is now able to reach speeds of 225 miles per hour. Compare this to a Mach 6 system at less than $15 million per mile.

           The California High Speed Authority made the political decision to terminate exploration of maglev technology for its high-speed rail in the early 2000s. That decision was made four years prior to the world’s first commercial maglev operation, built in Shanghai. The CA HSRA is pursuing a relationship with French power conglomerate Alstom’s technology. The original design of that train technology dates back to the mid-1800s. 

           To base our 2009 societal transportation needs on an advanced system of the 1800s has to be considered impractical. Many political decisions are based on personal gain of the decision makers. This vitally important issue must go beyond the status quo of political special interests that lobby for financial gain. Environmental sustainability caters to everyone.

           As cities flourish with the concentration of economic prosperity, population densities will correspondingly increase. This demands vertical growth in the proximity of transit hubs for mobility convenience. Having edible garden porches within transit and urban developments, the aspects of personal health are edified. Far from a utopia, this is simply a sensible solution for urban planning to preserve the wasteful consumption of sprawl and improve lifestyle. This type of planning does not remove suburban housing availability; it merely provides a method for consolidation to the people interested in efficient conservation as a harmonious mix of our modern society with nature. 

           Utilizing new technology transit systems, there is a solid gain to transportation. To use the old marketing phrase of the CA HSRA, “Imagine.” Well, imagine getting off work in New York at 5 p.m. and with the time zone changes, arriving at Yosemite Valley through Los Angeles at 3 p.m.

           This is what is possible today. We need to prepare for it with land-use planning, sustainable building, and transportation practices.

           Today’s maglev technology is predominantly only being built in China. China has built several maglev technology train systems. Japan is in the process of using the second generation of Danby and Powell’s maglev development technology. South Korea has a small, low-speed system in public operation.   

           What happens to a society with an unsustainable foundation? To extract without replenishing creates collapse. To whom does it matter? What are the laws of nature and wherein is that accountability factor?

Resources – A 2010 list of Maglev projects completed or in development:

–  HSST (Japan)

–  Rotem (Korea)

–  Maglevision (Philippines)

–  Transrapid (Germany; Shanghai, China)

–  Autoshuttle (German)

–  Central Japan Railway Co. (JR Tokai) (Japan)

–  Yamanashi Maglev Test facility (Japan)

–  Maglev 2000; aka: American Maglev Star - AMS (Florida)

–  American Maglev (Georgia)

–  Magnemotion (M3)(Massachuetts)

–  Magplane Tecnology (Massachusetts)

–  Fastransit (NY)

–  Applied Levitation (CA)

–  Urban Maglev (General Atomics) (San Diego)

–  Modern Transport Systems (MTSC) (CA)

–  Magnetrans (CA)

–  Unimodal, (Skytran) (CA)

–  Lev-X (WA)

–  ETT (Florida)

–  Zhonghua 6 (China)

–  Beijing Enterprises Holding Maglev Technology Development Co. Ltd (China)

Wheeled Technology Systems and Maglev

            The difference between wheeled technology and maglev transit technology is resistance. Trains began in the early 1800s. Technology has advanced in 200 years but society’s transit systems have moved from carrying large groups of people from a central location to another central location, to what modern transit systems are today: carrying large groups of people from a central location to another central location at the same relative speeds reached 150 years ago. Meanwhile, today’s societal transportation demands have exceeded even the travel independence cars provided. 

PRT / GRT

          Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) is a mode of public transportation that utilizes small, automated vehicles. This system mode vehicle design is called personal, with its passenger ridership of three to six people. These vehicles operate on automated networks. By the nature of their design, PRT systems are closed networks, only able to serve the limited areas within their boundaries.

The varying styles of technology are as different as their designers. Varieties of system design are wheeled rubber tire running on pavement, nylon wheels suspended from a rail, suspended maglev, and ground-based maglev guideways. 

PRT systems are in the class of what is called automated guideway transit (AGT). Group Rapid Transit is a larger scale of PRT, holding up to 20 passengers.

The advantage of these transportation network designs is the automation. Some systems allow specific passenger destination choice. The guideways are specific to more heavily traveled transportation corridors and are laid out in a manner that allows passenger loading and unloading at siding station sites. This enables vehicles to bypass the small passenger loading and unloading points when the rider is not going to that destination. This allows for nonstop and point-to-point passenger service.             

           These computer-controlled network systems have no driver. They feature quiet, on-demand and direct-to-destination or point-to-point capability, analogous to a horizontal elevator.

           System design of this vehicle system is ideal for all urban areas with moderate population density. As the vehicles are one-tenth the weight of any other light rail vehicle, system wide area infrastructure is one-tenth the expense. 

By lowering the usual cost of transit system infrastructure, these advanced transit technologies enable private investment to build the transit system by engaging transit-oriented real estate development (TODs) throughout the system area at each of the station locations as the funding mechanism of the entire system.

           The concept of PRT is as the passenger load increases, so does the number of vehicles on their guideway. Some system designs have the capability of high speeds with a half-second distance between vehicles. 

           Dozens of PRT systems have been proposed in the USA since the Morgantown PRT system was installed in Morgantown, West Virginia in 1975. In 2010, a 10-vehicle 2getthere system was installed in Masdar City, UAE. In 2011, a 21-vehicle Ultra PRT system was installed at London Heathrow Airport. In 2014, the 40-vehicle maglev Vectus system was put into operation in Suncheon, South Korea. 

Dual Mode

          The transit industry holds a term that is consistent to land use, called the last mile dilemma. How to get from your front door to the door of the transit station, and from the transit station to the door of your destination. 

          Transit-oriented design and automobile-centric land-use design are not compatible with their land-use function of transportation. 

The Dual Mode concept is in the design of an automobile type vehicle that also fits into a specialized PRT guideway. The designs have produced a multitude of interesting vehicles. These designs have also revealed no significant cost reduction with their increases to engineering obstacles.     

Addressing Integration of Conflicting Technologies

           Conflicting infrastructure is one of the roadblocks to advanced transit technology. Inventors are akin to artists; their visions are singularly one view. Adaptation to other technologies can terminate progress when the invention of a particular vehicle system design is unable to interact to other transit system designs.

           When the streetcars were the predominant mode of transportation in the early 1900s throughout the beginning of Western society and the transit-oriented land-use design, there was occasionally competition between rival streetcar companies within the same community. The result was a disaster to the customers. A passenger would have to exit one company’s streetcar and pay to enter another competitor’s streetcar and only be able to travel a short distance, then exit and pay to enter yet another competitor’s streetcar to reach their destination. The city of Seattle had five different streetcar companies in the early 1900s. 

          Today, there is no regulatory body to unify or coordinate design efforts of transit system inventors. The inventor’s efforts in design are confined to closed systems and are unable to integrate to any other mode of transit. Rubber-wheeled systems are restricted to the curse of friction-based automobile inefficiency.