Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

Operators are not only hoping to replace aging buses and vanpool vehicles, they are also looking for support for bicycle programs, electric vehicle charging stations and dispatch/demand-response software.

Campus transit operators offer a wide range of additional transit options, ranging from charter bus services to partnerships with Greyhound and Megabus to coordinating with Amtrak for students going home for the holidays. Additionally, one operator extended its late-night demand-response service for students who stay on campus during Thanksgiving and winter breaks.

Taking measures to accommodate growing ridership, dealing with driver staffing shortages and introducing new bus routes and vehicle features are keeping university transit operators busy as the Fall semester gets under way.

Introduced representatives from 15 higher education institutions from the U.S. and Canada to its Personal Rapid Transit system at the annual Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education Conference in Pittsburgh.

As part of the PRT's refurbishment, Bombardier Transport will provide a new propulsion unit. The unit controls the electrical motor that's underneath the vehicle, enabling riders to notice the system's ramped up electrical power.

Ten cars have already been outfitted with digital onboard computers, and a signed contract will deliver 61 systems for the remainder of the fleet in approximately the next year.

The 7,000-square-foot Mountaineer Station features a 500-space parking garage for both permit and short-term use, a commuter student lounge with lockers, interior bicycle storage and showers, a waiting area for Mountain Line and campus bus passengers, direct access to the Health Sciences Center PRT Station, and information stations for Mountain Line and WVU transportation services.

Introduced at WVU in 1975, the personal rapid transit system was the first fully-automated rapid transit system in the world.