Floriade PRT

Floriade PRT

From April till October 2002, 25 Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) vehicles provided transportation to the top of Big Spotters’ Hill at the horticultural exhibition Floriade. During operation from April till October, 25 CyberCabs provided transportation to the top of the observation point. The Floriade PRT system formed an alternative to the stairs to the 40 meters high lookout point. The 1st generation CyberCab vehicles were specifically designed for the application, allowing passengers to enjoy the view of the Park.

Configuration

The vehicles used a 700-meter track spiraling up the hill to transport passengers between the bottom and top stations. To ensure the best possible view, the speed of the vehicles was limited to 11 km/h and drove outside of the track (left hand side) traveling upwards. Each vehicle accommodated 4 passengers, or alternatively 2 passengers and a wheelchair, realizing a a maximum capacity of 600 passengers per hour per direction. The electric CyberCabs were supplied with ‘green’ energy, with the batteries exchanged by hand every 2 hours.

Experience

A round trip with the Floriade PRT system was priced at 2,5€. The duration of a single trip was just over 4 minutes. Passenger acceptance was excellent, with research showing both old and young using the system without any reservations. During the 6 months of operations, nearly 400,000 passengers used the system. At completion of the Floriade, the system was dismantled and the different vehicles donated to various colleges and universities throughout Europe to allow them to use it as platforms for research projects.

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