Mall of America Says No to Personal Rapid Transit

Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) is another stupid idea that Bachmann has promoted. It keeps getting shot down.

There were some news reports on the internets a while back that PRT was coming to the MOA.

Seems that that won't be happening.

Here's the latest from Bill James, the Jpods guy (click on the letter to make it bigger):



Bummer - you won't be able to "pimp your own pod" at the MoA:



In this 2004 MPR news report, Michele Bachmann voiced her support for Personal Rapid Transit:

Supporters range from Minneapolis City Council member Dean Zimmerman, a Green Party member, to Republican Sen. Michelle Bachmann of Stillwater. Bachmann says personal rapid transit, like many political issues, creates strange bedfellows.

"People on the right, people on the left, we have the common goal of moving people with transit, but doing it in the most cost-effective manner, in fact, in a manner that may end up costing no government subsidy, it may end up paying for itself," she says.

Bachmann also sponsored legislation for PRT with Senator Yvonne Prettner-Solon.

Review of recent, dreary pod news:

No $25 million earmark for PRT pork project in Winona, Minnesota.

The ULTra PRT launch at Heathrow has been delayed at least 3 times. The new launch date of the glorified golf carts of Heathrow is some time this month.

The Swedish/Korean PRT prototype malfunctioned recently in front of the media.

The Masdar PRT (actually computer-guided golf carts that follow magnets imbedded in the roadway) has been scaled way back. This setback got a mention in the NY Times.

The much-hyped PRT project in Daventry ended in fiasco.

The so-called Morgantown PRT (it's a mundane people-mover) was the subject of a student newspaper editorial after a malfunction created a "fireball" and filled a vehicle with smoke. The cost of fixing the Morgantown boondoggle is $93 million.