Simulation internal transport system
In its plan of laying out a sustainable future, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AAS) sees reducing the number of vehicle kilometres driven by both passengers and employees to, from and within Amsterdam Airport Schiphol as a key factor.
By implementing a sustainable internal transport system, AAS can sway both passengers and employees to park their vehicles around the perimeters of the airport and rely on the transport system to cover their transport needs within the airport.
A highly suitable candidate for the internal transit system is Personal Rapid Transit or PRT (see figure). A PRT system consists of electric, fully automated, 4-person vehicles, available on demand and servicing point-to-point. PRT systems are gaining ground as transport linkage between different transport modes. London Heathrow is expected to implement a PRT system for its passengers, between parking and the airport terminal, somewhere near the summer of 2010.
The assignment for this study therefore was:
To investigate the possibilities of employing a PRT system at AAS, a pilot system for passenger between long-term parking and the terminal will be examined. AAS is interested in knowing the possibilities of a PRT system, both its flexibility and capacity.
Approach
A simulation model will be created for AAS. The model will be used to derive the information regarding the pilot system, as well as provide AAS with a tool to estimate future designs of PRTs at the airport.
Results
The computer model that has been created in this research has been used to assess a PRT system at Schiphol. Regarding a situation sketched in 2020 (passenger flows, locations etc.) it has been determined that 75 PRTs is a suitable fleetsize to comply with the passenger flow between TransferCity and the Terminal. With such a PRT fleet, 77% of passengers are serviced without having to wait and in total 95% of passengers wait less than 3 min.
The computer that has been developed in this research serves as a tool for Schiphol Group. This research has evaluated only a single scenario; Schiphol Group can use the simulation model when assessing future scenarios of PRT systems at Schiphol.
