Concept Applicability
The characteristics of an application determine which transportation concept is most suited. There is no ranking among the characteristics, but as a whole they determine whether the most suited concept is manual or automated, has dedicated guide ways or mixes with regular traffic, is mass, group or personal transportation, will (need to) be installed at grade, underground or elevated, operates on-demand or on-schedule, etc.
The basis of any application should be an analysis of the transportation demand and flow. Each application has its’ own specifics and the most appropriate transportation system will need to be determined based on these. 2getthere analyses applications on nine specific elements:
1. Function (local transit, feeder system, internal transit, etc.)
2. Intensity of transportation (capacity required)
3. Spreading in time
4. Spreading is space (origins – destinations)
5. Spatial planning (space available)
6. Customer requirements / preferences
7. Application environment characteristics (a.o. visual intrusion)
8. Application specific issues (e.g. political influences)
9. Costs of Ownership
There is no prioritization among these elements and all are analyzed simultaneously. It is possible that multiple types of systems are suited for the same application – however usually a customer preference or the costs of ownership associated with the system will tip the balance.
Based on these characteristics (requirements and customer preferences) 2getthere advices customers if and which one of the concepts could be suited. The characteristics also determine the optimum configuration of the suitable concept (e.g. indicate a scheduled service is a preferred option).
Being able to offer different systems there is no necessity for 2getthere to push a certain concept (whether it is suited or not). 2getthere offers the in-house developed PRT (CyberCab) and GRT (ParkShuttle) systems.