The three established PRT manufacturers (with customers) are ULTra PRT, 2getthere, and Vectus. ULTra PRT’s system at London Heathrow Airport has 2.4 miles of guideway, three stations, and 21 vehicles. 2getthere has a system at Masdar City in Abu Dhabi featuring 1.1 miles of guideway, five stations, and 13 vehicles. 2getthere and ULTra PRT began passenger operation in late 2010.
Vectus is implementing a system at Suncheon Bay, South Korea. This system is expected to open in 2013 with six miles of guideway and 40 vehicles. The Amritsar system will be the world’s fourth PRT customer.
PRT combines low-cost infrastructure with compelling fare box and real-estate economics, to the point where Heathrow and Amritsar systems are financed solely by private sector sources. For PRT systems, a rule of thumb is “PRT infrastructure costs less than two percent of the value of land and buildings that are served.” The Advanced Transit Association Industry Group recently published a concise, manufacturer-neutral industry description.