PRT at Retail Centers
New retail center developments, such as ‘mega malls’ (combining retail, entertainment, recreation and lodging) are often located outside the city perimeter. As they require visitors to move around freely, individually and quickly, a Personal Rapid Transit system appears to be a good solution to interconnect the different activities and venues.
The network capabilities of PRT systems serve to connect the different venues directly – ensuring short trip times (waiting + travel time). All passengers can travel individually or with their own group, selecting the destination from the interior touch screen. The system accommodates a high station density, even further improving accessibility.
The Personal Rapid Transit system has a small foot print and can be integrated into buildings – the stations, but also the track. When the PRT system is created in an indoor environment, an electric drive ensures there is not exhaust. A hybrid drive is also available, but is more suited for outdoor environments. Note: a hybrid system will feature no exhaust at stations as it will operate on the battery at that time.
The small foot print of the track and the stations allows for the PRT system to be integrated in the spatial planning of the site (either at-grade or elevated). Stations can be created in front of the main entrance or (even better) be integrated into the buildings.