1) The document proposes a Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system for transport around large corporate and college campuses as an alternative to shuttle buses. 2) A PRT system for the Ford Motor Company campus is analyzed, including small automated vehicles on elevated exclusive guideways that provide on-demand, non-stop transportation between stations. 3) Benefits of the PRT system include improved travel times and productivity compared to shuttle buses, as well as lower energy use and pollution. Engineering challenges include expertise, technology standards, and high capital costs.

1. University of Detroit Mercy<br />AEV 5060: Innovation and System Architecture for Advanced Electric Vehicles<br />April 27, 2011<br />Scope:<br />The scope of this project is to develop a On-Demand Personal Rapid Transportation (PRT) System for use around large corporate, as well as mid to large college campuses. The Team will take on the role of a Transportation Consulting Firm scoping the infrastructure necessary to develop a system with a brief business case analysis. The PRT system would replace many of the current shuttle or bus transport modes with comparable or superior levels of service by improving both waiting and trip times leading to improved business productivity by giving time back to the riders.<br />Fundamental Elements of the PRT System:<br />PRT is an emerging public transportation technology designed to address the needs of the sprawling urban environment. In this study, a PRT system will be designed for the limited operating area of the Ford Motor Company Research and Development Campus in Dearborn Michigan and compared to the current courtesy shuttle bus service which serves the campus today. Since being introduced in the 1960’s PRT systems has evolved through a variety of academic, governmental and private development programs. The key characteristics of PRT system include:<br />On-demand, origin-to-destination service: At the originating station, a rider would board a waiting vehicle, or POD, and input their desired destination station. The POD would then transport the rider to the desired destination with no intermediate stops.

2. Small, fully-automated vehicles: PODs are intended to operate under computer control and require no operator or driver. PODs are designed for two to four passengers and would provide ADA accessibility.

3. Exclusive-use guideways: Tracks or “guideways” for PODs would be designed to avoid at-grade crossings with pedestrians or other types of surface vehicles by designing the guideways as an elevated system.

4. Off-line stations: Off-line stations are designed with a “siding” guideway so that PODs not stopping at a particular station can bypass that station.