ULTra Personal Rapid Transit System

Passenger Interface

The passenger side of operations is kept very simple and straightforward, providing an easy-to-use system which is accessible to all. Once your journey has begun, you can sit back and relax as there are no intermediate stops - the vehicle takes you straight to your chosen destination (see videos - the first shows a passenger journey at Cardiff, the second is a visualisation of the Heathrow ULTra experience).

A touchcreen destination selection panel (such as that shown on the right) is installed at every berth, so that the overall process is made as convenient as possible. A step-by-step guide to the full passenger experience is given below, with the exact design and operation of the passenger interface system being dependent on the specific ULTra application.

A step-by-step guide to using ULTra

Go to nearest ULTra station: The individual or group wishing to use the system travels to the nearest station on the network (stations are distributed like bus stops or cab ranks, and passengers would not normally have to walk more than 300m - approximately 3-4 minutes for the average person - to reach one).

Purchase ticket (if necessary): A variety of ticketing options would be available, similar to those on other forms of public transport, e.g. a smart card like the Oyster Card used on the London Underground.

Go to first available berth: At each station there are a series of berths, and display screens/signs would indicate the berth(s) with the soonest available vehicle.

Select destination, confirm and scan ticket: At each berth the passenger(s) can select their desired destination using a touchscreen display. This is then confirmed by the passenger(s) and their ticket is scanned. The passenger destination selection is passed to central control (see Control Systems) which provides movement instructions to the vehicle assigned to the berth.

Enter the vehicle, and once seated press the close doors button: Once the vehicle arrives (if it is not already waiting), the doors will open and the passenger(s) enter. Once seated, they press the close doors button and can sit back and relax; from this point on the vehicle will automatically take them to their destination, non-stop and by the best available route

Arrive at destination: At the destination, the passenger leaves the vehicle, which may either wait there for the next fare or, alternatively, be redirected by central control to places with known demand.

The service described above can be personalised in many ways, for example the user's smart card could be programmed to store recently visited or favourite destinations, which can then be used to speed-up the destination selection procedure. The system can also respond to any special requirements of the passenger, who can be in audio and visual contact with the central controller if necessary.