April 2022
From the President
Greetings! I recently analyzed how ATN compares to light rail (LRT) and bus rapid transit (BRT) on 17 different attributes. While ATN costs less to build and operate and has a much smaller carbon footprint, there are two factors that greatly magnify these benefits:

  1. With many small stations scattered throughout communities rather than just along corridors, ATN will attract many more riders (the network effect)
  2. ATN's surface footprint is less than 1% of LRT and BRT. Surface transportation takes up 30% - 70% of city space. Imagine how much smaller and more sustainable our cities could be if we replaced most surface transportation with elevated ATN!

As always, enjoy reading!

Best regards,

Peter Muller, ATRA President
Upcoming Events
ATRA membership is an opportunity for you and your organization to contribute to a better world by leveraging advanced transit to improve mobility and accessibility. Membership works best for those that get involved and contribute.
This is a FREE news summary. If it has been forwarded to you, you may want to
ATRA News
Shannon McDonald
We are deeply saddened by the passing of Shannon McDonald. She was a long-time ATRA member and strong proponent of personal rapid transit. Shannon was an architect with an eye on the future and a bent for innovation.

Please follow the link for a video and more about Shannon.
AUTOMATED TRANSIT NETWORK
compared to
LIGHT RAIL and BUS RAPID TRANSIT
This paper compares light rail transit (LRT) and bus rapid transit (BRT) to 4 - 6-passenger ATN. The comparison is based on known attributes of each technology. Some new ATN attributes enabled by recent changes to the ASCE APM Standards are discussed.
News
Gurugram: Pod taxis, proposed in 2016, back on infra table
GURUGRAM: A plan to set up a Metrino pod taxi system to connect Delhi and Gurugram is being finalised, six years after the initiative was first proposed by Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari but didn't make progress.
Ministry chalking out plan for pod taxi project connecting Delhi and Manesar
The Union transport ministry is preparing the ground for launching the pod taxi project to connect Delhi and Manesar and is discussing various aspects of the project with different companies, said Gurugram MP and Union minister of state Inderjit Singh on Wednesday.
Elon Musk’s Alamo Loop underground tunnel proposal selected for further study
A plan by Elon Musk’s Boring Company to build a tunnel between San Antonio’s airport and downtown was selected Wednesday by the local regional mobility authority for a feasibility study.

Board members serving the Alamo Regional Mobility Authority (RMA), an agency tasked with improving transportation in Bexar County chose Boring over a bid from a local consortium, SAK/Bexar Automated Transport, to enter into a development agreement to study the feasibility of the project.
The Boring Co. becomes finalist for San Antonio, Texas transport project
The Boring Company (TBC) is one of the finalists vying for a tunneling project in San Antonio, Texas. The project will run between the San Antonio International Airport and downtown.
Bold option for public transport - Craig Lord
Being strongly against the Dominion Road Light Rail proposal, Mayoral candidate Craig Lord wants the overpriced and nonsensical plan to be thrown in the bin and for the decision makers to consider other options - such as the Metrino PRT (Personal Rapid Transit) solution.
How to make a successful Automated Transit Network
An economist's perspective
An automated transit network (ATN henceforth) is a conceptual transportation system that features fully autonomous on-demand vehicles using a network of guideways, and that is fully isolated from other traffic. The ATN concept offers great benefits over existing land transportation modes: safety of a railroad, convenience of taxi, low operating cost. Separation from ground-level traffic provides both higher speed for ATN vehicles and safety for pedestrians. High energy efficiency is also easily achieved.
USA’s largest ever public autonomous shuttle deployment announced in Jacksonville
Florida’s Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) has announced that is has selected the Balfour Beatty Vision 2 Reality (V2R) team and autonomous vehicle (AV) solutions provider Beep to deliver its new public AV service.
Noida Pod Taxi May Have 12 Stations, Ride To Be Charged Rs 8 Per Km: Here’s Everything You Need To Know
The detailed project report (DPR) for the Rs 810-crore Noida pod taxi project that is being planned to connect Greater Noida to the Noida International Airport in Jewar was approved by Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA).
ModuTram Investment Opportunity - A proven Boring Co. Competitor for a Fraction of the Valuation
Pod taxi route from Noida airport to Film City may have 12 stations
GREATER NOIDA: A 14.6km elevated pod taxi service is likely to have 12 stations between the Noida airport and Film City in Sector 21.


This project seems headed in the wrong direction - fewer stations, larger vehicles and the guideway 39' above the ground!  
Prototyping a better tomorrow for San Jose
SAN JOSE — A group of student engineers had a yearlong assignment: Improve a plan for a tramway around the San Jose State campus.
San Antonio: Autonomous Transport System From Airport to Downtown Closer to Fruition
San Antonio (Bexar County) — A long-awaited transport system between the San Antonio International Airport and downtown San Antonio is one step closer to reality after proposals were delivered and scored by the Alamo Regional Mobility Authority (Alamo RMA).
An Eyewitness View of the LVCC Loop – #CES2022
One of the CES2022 highlights was under the show floor. The LVCC Loop made its CES debut quietly hauling attendees between the West and Central Halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The above links are to articles that appear relevant to advanced transit but no guarantee is made as to their accuracy and no verification of the integrity of the associated websites has been made.

Editorial comments are in italics.
| Advanced Transit Association| 303-800-1529 | www.advancedtransit.org