US tipping point for PRT may be reached this evening?

[Jerry Schneider]

<http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://www.mv-voice.com/news/show_story.php%3Fid%3D1957&ct=ga&cd=IRrFKgfmqC8&usg=AFQjCNGT4wr_8X70tV2sJEkmjwdTmr4fZg>City
considers bold new
transit<http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://www.mv-voice.com/news/show_story.php%3Fid%3D1957&ct=ga&cd=IRrFKgfmqC8&usg=AFQjCNGT4wr_8X70tV2sJEkmjwdTmr4fZg>
system
Mountain View Voice - Mountain View,CA,USA
The company's personal rapid transit system, or PRT, uses
computer-controlled, battery-powered electric vehicles that ride on
dedicated cement pathways. ...

[Steve Raney]

Google co-founder Larry Page’s May 2 University of Michigan
commencement speech: "When I was here at Michigan, I wanted to build a
personal rapid transit system on campus to replace the buses. It was a
futuristic way of solving our transportation problem. I still think a
lot about transportation — you never lose a dream, it just incubates
as a hobby. Many things that people labor hard to do now, like
cooking, cleaning, and driving will require much less human time in
the future. That is, if we 'have a healthy disregard for the
impossible’ and actually build new solutions."
http://www.google.com/intl/en/press/annc/20090502-page-commencement.html
.

"I think it's exciting. I think it's clearly in our future." Mountain
View Councilman Jac Siegal as seen on KTVU TV 10PM news and KTVU web.

More details: http://www.ultraprt.com/mvprtgoogle.htm


On Sep 16, 2:45 pm, Jerry Schneider <j...@peak.org> wrote:
> <http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://www.mv-voice.com/news/show_st...>City
> considers bold new
> transit<http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://www.mv-voice.com/news/show_st...>

[Bengt Gustafsson]

In my Google tech talk from last year I conclude by showing that even
a local Google-campus
PRT system would be profitable, as it saves employee time moving
between buildings:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08SPc2yUc58

[Mike C]

This is very exciting.

A while back, I read a book about Google (I believe it was "The Google
Story"). In it was this quote about Larry Page in his college years:

"One of Page's favorite topics of discussion was devising new and
better transportation systems. Growing up near Detroit had prompted
him to ponder creative ways of moving people and goods from place to
place while cutting down on accidents, expenses, pollution, and
traffic. He liked to talk about automated automobile systems where you
have cars that will roam around, and if you need one you just hop in
and tell it where it needs to go. It is like a taxi, but it is
cheaper, and packs itself with other such vehicles on the freeway much
tighter. He is passionate about the problem of moving people or things
around."

He's apparently had this passion for a while; he's been out of college
at least 10 years now. Jeral also worked for Google for a while, don't
know if he's still there. And Google's progressive, push-the-
boundaries culture is a perfect fit for PRT.

So you have a world-changing company known for innovation, a company
with a transportation need, led by a multi-billionaire PRT advocate,
in the state where the most PRT activity is occurring (after Minnesota
PRT was killed by the luddites). In some ways I wonder why it took so
long for them to show more interest. ;-)

This would be amazing. Google has the money, innovation, and
respectability to push it over the top.

Mike C

[eph]

Great presentation - very factual and not over-sold.

F.

On Sep 17, 3:35 am, Bengt Gustafsson <bengt.gustafs...@beamways.com>
wrote:

[Jerry Roane]

Mike

I think you are right about Google being a very good company and company culture to create the next transportation paradigm.  I would think that in a culture of innovation that they have would not be stuck on the 1970s version of computer directed cars but will be able to continue to evolve all the segments of personal mobility together.  We would be very open to cooperating with their efforts to evolve transportation.  It is time to get moving. 

Jerry Roane

On Thu, Sep 17, 2009 at 8:01 AM, Mike C <mwil...@gmail.com> wrote:

This is very exciting.

A while back, I read a book about Google (I believe it was "The Google
Story"). In it was this quote about Larry Page in his college years:

"One of Page's favorite topics of discussion was devising new and
better transportation systems.

snip

[Dennis Manning]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jerry Schneider" <j...@peak.org>
To: <transport-...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 16, 2009 2:45 PM
Subject: [t-i] US tipping point for PRT may be reached this evening?


>
> < http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=

[Dennis Manning]

It may be a little early to dub Larry Page as our long sought "cowboy"; however, it would be very good if he did emerge. Running a fast paced multi-billion dollar company probably leaves him little time for something like PRT.

 

BTW Jeral Poskey is still working at Google. I've asked Jeral about the chances of Larry Page taking an active interest in PRT. Jeral said he simply didn't know the state of Page's involvement. Jeral I believe was the person that got Google's Senior Project Manager Real Estate and Workplace Services to attend a meeting at the NASA/Ames facility a couple of weeks ago. So Google is involved at some level. No doubt their role will become clearer as plans develop in the Mountain View/Moffett Field area. All in all it's an exciting happening.

 

Dennis

[Jack Slade]

Is it too soon to ask if this "tipping point" actually happened, yesterday?   Jack Slade --- On Thu, 9/17/09, Dennis Manning <john.m...@comcast.net> wrote:

[Steve Raney]

The "ask" was mild, to have PRT considered in Mountain View's long
range planning. Hence there was no attempt at a Tipping Point, just
normal measured progress towards yet another advanced transit system.

KTVU TV posted their 3-minute 10 O'Clock News segment up:
http://www.ktvu.com/news/20957931/detail.html

[Mike C]

In any case, great job Steve. The 3-minute segment was very good. I
especially liked how the criticism of fixed routes led into your point
about enhanced property values along the route.

It nice to see the media treat PRT as something other than a pipe
dream or scam. :-)

Mike

[Steve Raney]

Mike C,

You have a nice insight about the tone of the media towards PRT. A
major change for US coverage compared to 5 years ago. The UK was
already taking a favorable slant on PRT.

The KCBS radio piece (http://www.kcbs.com/Automated-Cars-Could-be-
Coming-to-the-South-Bay/5242158 ) has audio from BAA's David Holdcroft
and San Jose DOT's Hans Larsen. IE the story was fleshed out with a
customer quote and a system procurer quote. That's just terrific.

Now, on the Bay Area Transportation News Yahoo Group, they provide
snarky headlines on each PRT news story that comes out. It's pretty
funny. The give a horrific headline, and then they copy in the full
story with the real headline:

PRT hucksters now pushing PRT for Mountain View, Google
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BATN/message/42576

PRT – Cyberspace Dream Keeps Colliding With Reality
http://www.lightrailnow.org/facts/fa_prt001.htm

Marin Supes seek non-existent high-speed monorail SkyTran PRT
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BATN/message/40359

PRT fantasy world again (still) claimed to be coming soon
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BATN/message/39641

Editorial: SkyTran PRT a "fun dream" -- Marin needs something now
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BATN/message/36775

Marin Co. Supes. now tout pie-in-the-sky 150-mph maglev PRT
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BATN/message/36685

Anti-SMART Marin Co. Supes now promoting nutty PRT fantasy
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BATN/message/36684

Shock news: Anti-SMART Supe discovers maglev "too expensive"
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BATN/message/36261

Anti-SMART Marin Co. Supe. pushes Novato-San Rafael maglev [!!!]
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BATN/message/36104

Column: SMART foe Marin Supe. Arnold plans maglev presentation
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BATN/message/36049

CyberTran dismissed as just another PRT "gadetbahn" fantasy
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BATN/message/34146

Comment: Santa Cruz PRT costs not so unreasonable, in theory
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BATN/message/33678

Santa Cruz monorail PRT economics, feasibility questioned
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BATN/message/33373

Auto expert hypes 100 mph driverless "Railcab" PRT fantasy
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BATN/message/33271

Comment: Santa Cruz PRT true-believer extols its possibilities
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BATN/message/33208

Palo Alto PRT monorail true believer keeps tilting at windmills
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BATN/message/30940

In Santa Cruz, nutty Jetsons-like PRT monorail pushed, again
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BATN/message/30463

EPA to piss away $204k on Pleasanton PRT monorail study
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BATN/message/25014

Opinion: PRT fad a pro-highway, anti-transit stalking horse
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BATN/message/22089

Futuristic solar train, PRT pushed in Santa Cruz
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BATN/message/16615

Is Santa Cruz PRT monorail just pie in the sky?
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BATN/message/15698

Inventor unveils Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) car
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BATN/message/11555 ]

[Jack Slade]

I haven't had time to read them all yet, but it so far looks like the best publicity I have seen anywhere.   Jack Slade --- On Fri, 9/18/09, Steve Raney <steve...@cities21.org> wrote:

[Michael Weidler]

This is one of my biggest fears. With all respect to ULTra, I don't see their current technology as viable for anything other than niche applications. I found the comments after the article to be interesting. --- On Wed, 9/16/09, Jerry Schneider <j...@peak.org> wrote:

From: Jerry Schneider <j...@peak.org> Subject: [t-i] US tipping point for PRT may be reached this evening?