The Zipway - Bringing Logic and Reality Together

Humans by nature yearn to be free. We desire door-to-door service, predictable travel time and the ability to ride or commute in the vehicle of our choice. Once we have experienced this, we are unwilling to give it up. Some choose small and efficient, while others choose large and luxurious.

According to a recent study1 the United States wastes $1.5 billion per day due to inefficiencies in the current highway transportation system, which is mainly caused by traffic congestion. From 1990 – 2005 vehicle miles traveled on the highway system increased 39 percent while capacity on the principal arterial highways only increased 13.6 percent2. Much effort has gone into expressway technology such as reversible express lanes, highway speeds tolling and traffic alerts. Extensive innovations have also been made to individual vehicles such as accident avoidance systems. Reality is; to alleviate congestions we must get vehicles off the expressway.

Congestion Leads to Loss of Productivity and Increased:

• energy use and emissions
• car maintenance
• car accidents
• insurance premiums
• insurance premiums
• stress

Just build more Light Rail?

Harvard University released a comprehensive study3 that analyzed the performance of many light rail systems built in the US over the last twenty years. Albeit the benefits such as the ability to be productive during the ride and predictability of arrival time, none of them were financially successful, nor did any of them come close to achieving the rider-ships they had promised. Logic and unfortunately Reality - Increasing mass transportation or light rail has not, and will not relieve traffic congestion.

Ok – how about Personal Rapid Transit?

Many attempts have been made to develop Personal Rapid Transit (PRT). My opinion is that these concepts are not viable because they are not door-to-door systems; they are merely a futuristic version of light rail. As with mass transit or light rail, one cannot travel from point A to B in their choice of vehicle. As of 2005, 91% of workers commuted to work using personal vehicles4. Logic and reality – forget about PRT.

But we know automation is the key!

Millions of drivers all controlling their own automobile’s speed and path of travel equals chaos and congestion. Innovations such as the internet use a central control system which organizes packets of information and automates the travel to its destination; therefore chaos is avoided. Can we use this concept to organize the chaos on the expressway?

A concept that does make logical sense

But… the technology is still15 yrs away. This is a partially automated system called Dual Mode Transportation. This is part of my vision for the future of automobile travel. Dual mode is a system that allows a driver to control their car of choice just as you do now while in rural areas, or stretches of low traffic density. But once you approach an urban or congestion prone area, a central automated system moves the vehicle. The driver would not have to exit their car in-between destinations. This solves many problems, but the technology just is not ready and we need something now. Logical? Yes. Realistic for now? No.

What can be done now?

We don’t have 15 years to wait, so the next step in the evolution of transportation that brings logic and current reality together has been created. The Zipway.

Here’s how it works. As a driver approaches a traffic prone area they will have the option to enter the Zipway station. A Zipway station is very similar to a train station, but much larger. There they will drive without exiting the vehicle onto what looks like an oversized climate controlled railcar. All one hundred parking spots on the Zip are able to be accessed at once, meaning each car will not be loaded one-by-one. Each Zip car has two levels. (See our video on the home page for demo). This concept uses current rail technology which will “Zip” a driver and their car by rail through the area of high traffic density (congestion). The Zip will travel along the expressway while the passengers are able to work, watch television, or rest. The Zipway solves many inefficiencies using time tested and proven technology that is ready for immediate deployment at a fraction of the cost of Dual Mode. The Zipway is door-to-door, helps predict travel time, is scalable, and will alleviate measurable amounts of congestion. Imagine how your life would change if you didn’t have to sit in traffic.

• energy use and emissions
• car maintenance
• car accidents
• insurance premiums
• insurance premiums
• stress

I envision a railroad transit company to modify a railcar to match the specifications of the Zip Car. Use of the latest and most efficient locomotive, logistical technology by a company such as IBM, and an infrastructure organization such as the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority or Macquarie will complete the vision.

One drop of rain, one snowflake, or an accident on the expressway… an hour commute can turn into three. Forget the expressway; take The Zipway!

1. Dual Mode Vehicle and Infrastructure Alternatives Analysis. Project Title: Alternatives Analysis for Initial and Future. Report 0-5827-1
2. http://www.bts.gov/programs/national_household_travel_survey/ daily_travel.html
3. The End of Traffic Jams: A transportation System for the Future. Francis D. Reynolds September – October , 2001 issue of the Futurist magazine.
4. FHWA. Highway Statistics 2005, U.S. Department of Transportation, http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ policy/ohim/hs05/index.htm BTS. National Household Travel Survey Quick Facts, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, U.S. Department of Transportation,