| Morgantown Personal Rapid Transit | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Morgantown PRT vehicle near Beechurst Avenue | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Overview | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Locale | Morgantown, West Virginia, United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Transit type | Personal rapid transit/People mover | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of lines | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of stations | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Daily ridership | 16,000[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Began operation | 1975 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operator(s) | West Virginia University | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technical | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| System length | 3.6 mi (5.8 km)[2]: 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Track gauge | concrete guideway | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Morgantown Personal Rapid Transit (WVU PRT) is a personal rapid transit (PRT) system in Morgantown, West Virginia, United States. The system connects the three Morgantown campuses of West Virginia University (WVU) and the city's downtown area.
Developed from the Alden staRRcar and built by a consortium led by Boeing Vertol, the driverless system was a government-funded experiment in PRT systems. Upon its opening in 1975 with three stations, it had a fitful start, being three years behind schedule and costing 3–4 times more than estimated. It was expanded in 1978 to its current five stations, two maintenance depots, and over 70 vehicles. Like all PRT systems, stations are built on sidings, which allows vehicles to bypass stations and permits express trips between any two stations.
While the system achieved reliability upwards of 98% for most of its life,[3][4] its reliability declined in the 2000s – dipping to 90% by 2015 – and it gained a reputation for unreliability.[5] In response, a renewal project was approved in 2012, which has so far replaced the vehicle control and propulsion systems, replaced parts of the power supply, and repaired other infrastructure. A new vehicle control system was commissioned in 2018, and the vehicle fleet is also being replaced.[4]
The system has operated reliably, and currently is in full operational service as of November 2021, transporting students and staff daily.[6]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
booth2007was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Morgantown Personal Rapid Transit Statem - System Operation Description Manual". West Virginia University. Archived from the original on December 3, 2014. Retrieved July 16, 2013 – via http://transportation.wvu.edu/prt.
{{cite web}}: External link in|via= - ^ Cite error: The named reference
wright2005was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b "Modernizing the WVU Personal Rapid Transit System (PRT)". Department of Transportation and Parking WVU. Archived from the original on July 9, 2018. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
- ^ "The unreliable PRT says a lot about this University". September 20, 2010. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
- ^ "E-News | PRT closed during fall break". enews.wvu.edu. October 7, 2021. Retrieved November 7, 2021.