Skip to main content

Masdar City PRT sets record highs in fifth year

The Masdar City personal rapid transit (PRT) system in Abu Dhabi has just completed its fifth year of operations, setting all time highs in number of passengers carried per month and per year, passenger growth and system availability. Since the start of operations on 28 November 2010 one can only conclude automated passenger transport is a rock solid, reliable and efficient solution for both passengers as well as stakeholders. The Masdar PRT operates 18 hours a day, every day and is led by 2getthere in c
December 10, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
The Masdar City personal rapid transit (PRT) system in Abu Dhabi has just completed its fifth year of operations, setting all time highs in number of passengers carried per month and per year, passenger growth and system availability. Since the start of operations on 28 November 2010 one can only conclude automated passenger transport is a rock solid, reliable and efficient solution for both passengers as well as stakeholders.

The Masdar PRT operates 18 hours a day, every day and is led by 2getthere in co-operation with its UAE partner United Technical Services. The system provides a link between the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (MIST).

The system carried one million passengers in its first 3.5 years of operation. Just 18 months later, the number has increased to 1,575,863 and its operators expect to reach the milestone of 2 million passengers before the end of this year of operations.

System availability in the fifth year of operations averaged 99.9 per cent over the year, with a 100 per cent availability being achieved in two months.  

As the system is powered by energy generated by the solar panels in Masdar City, the operators claim it has saved over 100,000 kg of carbon dioxide emissions over the last five years in comparison to typical cars in the United Arab Emirates. Apart from this positive environmental effect, there is zero emission of fine dust particles which contributes to an enhanced air quality.

2getthere’s CEO Carel van Helsdingen comments: “Over these five years time of operation we are satisfied with the way the system has performed. However, there is always room for improvement and our team is currently working to integrate several features to accommodate a higher capacity while also improving the comfort and ease of travel.”

Related Content

  • February 1, 2012
    Ability to keep in touch on US buses woos travellers
    David Crawford finds evidence of a new trend in American intercity travel: that better access to data sources on the move is tempting passengers away from air travel and onto surface modes. In the US the ease of use of Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs) is successfully wooing long-distance travellers away from airlines and onto surface public transport, according to just-published research. Using data from field observations of 7,028 passengers travelling by bus, air and train in 14 US states and the Distri
  • July 20, 2015
    New report indicates reduction in London’s pollution
    A new report, produced by experts at King's College London, for the first time quantifies the health and economic effects of the air pollutant nitrogen dioxide (NO2), where all previous studies have focused on particulate matter (PM2.5). Combined together the effects of both pollutants reveal a higher health impact than previously estimated after taking into account this further pollutant. The study also found that nearly half the health impacts are caused by air pollution outside London such as diesel
  • July 31, 2012
    Dubai metro - the world's longest automated rail system
    David Crawford reviews the recent opening of Dubai's Red Line. The US$7.6bn Dubai Metro, the Phase I Red Line of which started partial operation in September 2009, will be the world's longest driverless rail system on its planned completion in 2011. With a total length of some 75km, it will then overtake the 68.7km Vancouver SkyTrain and be able to carry over 1.2 million passengers on a typical day.
  • October 29, 2013
    Serco extends Dubai Metro contract
    International service company Serco Group is to continue to operate and maintain the Dubai Metro. The company has signed a five-year extension to its contract with the Dubai Government Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in a deal valued at approximately US$571, with an opportunity to extend for a further two years to 2021. Serco first provided pre-launch consultancy and planning to the RTA from 2007 and began operating and maintaining the initial 10 stations on the Red Line from its official opening an