Heathrow pods

[trisonic]

The Boston Pods were, unfortunately a figment of a planner's imagination.

The only system working in the 'Staes is one on the campusof West Virginia University. Each Pod holds 20 people and it is very limited in scope.

 

Best, Pete.

Edited September 23, 2011 by trisonic

[Edwin_m]

the privacy and perceived safety in a bubble of your own.

 

If anyone installs these in a UK city they will have to think about what certain people might do in privacy and perceived safety. The next people to use that pod might well find something worse than bubblegum on the seats.

[Kenton]

I wonder how long they stay clean inside when in mass public use?

 

Not much room for a pile of suitcases/kit bags/skis and other awkward items that accompany passengers.

 

It will never replace the motor car, that "bubble of your own" is all about driving experience, control of speed and destination, comfort and entertainment none of which are remotely likely in a public controlled system such as this. Yes it may be a big step over the public transport buses at airport to car parks/rent-a-car/hotels even the underground/overground network but not the motor car.

[hollywoodfoundry]

There has been a simialr system running at Orlando Airport in the US for getting on towards 30 years, the only difference being larger vehicles.

[Ron Ron Ron]

There has been a simialr system running at Orlando Airport in the US for getting on towards 30 years, the only difference being larger vehicles.

That's a tracked People Mover system Geoff. There are loads of them operating at airports around the world.

This new system is in a different category of Personal Rapid Transit Systems.

 

The Heathrow Pods and similar systems don't run on a track, but are "guided" along a "roadway" or "guideway". It can navigate junctions and multiple routing options according to destination on the system.

 

.

Edited September 24, 2011 by Ron Ron Ron

[Edwin_m]

The crucial difference between a PRT and other transit modes is that the PRT provides a dedicated vehicle for each traveller or small party travelling together, and the vehicle travels directly to the traveller's destination station. Thus it is effectively a driverless taxi.