The initial decision to implement the ParkShuttle transportation system between subway station Kralingse Zoom and business park Rivium (city of Capelle aan den IJssel) was taken in 1995. The goal of the pilot was to proof that at the same expense, a better service and higher frequency could be achieved making (public) transportation a more attractive alternative for car drivers. From February 1999 to November 2001, three ParkShuttle vehicles operated on the 1300-meter single lane trajectory. Bi-directional travel was enabled by means of three passing locations. An interstate is intersected by means of a tunnel, while a highway is crossed by a specially constructed (single lane) bridge. A journey lasted approximately 4 minutes. The anticipatated required capacity was exceeded because of expansions of the business park. At the same time the capacity was restricted by the number and size of the vehicles in combination with the single infrastructure. The succes of the system prompted the decision in December 2001 to upgrade the system from its pilot status. In phase II, the trajectory has been extended and the number of stations increased to 5 significantly reducing walking distances for employees and making the system more attractive to use. The 1800-meter track has three stops within business park Rivium. A new stop has been created to service business park Brainpark III and the residential suburb Fascinatio. The dedicated infrastructure, installed at grade, is now dual lane (with exception of the forementioned tunnel and bridge). Several at grade crossings with pedestrian and car traffic are realized. In Phase II both the number of vehicles (6) and the capacity of the vehicles (20 passengers) doubled at the request of operating company ConneXXion. The quality was also improved by applying state-of-the-art automotive know-how and technology. The vehicles are (even) more reliable, comfortable, silent and faster. During peak-hours all vehicles are operational, on-schedule, based on a 2.5 minute interval. The scheduled service ensures the capacity is optimally used, while the on-demand operations in off-peak hours ensure the passenger service is maximized.

• published: 24 Oct 2009
• views: 5736