The Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority is looking ahead when it comes to putting Tampa on the map for futuristic transit technologies.
The TBARTA staff unanimously approved a transit innovations task order on Friday morning as the state has allocated $1 million for the study of innovative technology.
The board coordinated with its consultant WSP USA Inc. to develop a scope of work and project schedule for a high-level feasibility study called the Transit Technologies Feasibility Study, which would evaluate three innovative transit technologies — hyperloop, aerial gondolas and air taxis. The work would be performed as a task work order under WSP’s contract.
The feasibility study will cover route types, corridor profiles and connections, travel demand, environmental considerations, safety considerations, regulatory considerations, an overview of the technologies alongside comparable technologies and innovations, costs, and sector financing opportunities, according to TBARTA's document. The study is expected to be completed in 12 months.
"It’s a good opportunity to explore transit options that we are interested in," board member Cliff Manuel Jr. said during the meeting. "...I would like to see the high-level feasibility analysis done so I can actually have facts and figures in front of me, to start looking at the options. And I’d like to keep our staff’s mind open to other alternatives that might be there to provide transit benefits like this."
The portion of the study related to hyperloop will focus on its applicability to the state as a whole, while the portion of the study related to air taxis and aerial gondolas will focus only on Tampa Bay.
The consultant may look at companies in the hyperloop industry such as Virgin Hyperloop One, TransPod and Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, which HTT has said it has interest in providing a connection from Tampa to St. Petersburg.
For air taxis, the document lists companies such as Uber Air, Bell Helicopter, Volocoptor and Lilium.
In respect to aerial gondolas, the consultant may evaluate the Doppelmayr (manufacturer of the Portland Aerial Tram and the London Emirates Air Line) and Poma (manufacturer of the Roosevelt Island Tramway).
Pinellas County Commissioner Janet Long recently informed the board that she was having conversations with German air taxi company Lilium about potentially operating at Tampa International Airport.
