In September of 2010, ULTra PRT, a manufacturer of electric pod cars, and officials at the Heathrow Airport began operational testing on pods that transport visitors to the airport from the terminal to the parking lot. After successful tests, passenger service began in April of this year. Twenty-two pods have replaced 2 diesel-powered buses that usually made over 200 trips a day between the lots and the terminals. The pods travel on designated routes and don’t interfere with traffic moving into the lots. Each pod takes about 5 to 6 minutes to travel the 1.2 miles from the terminal to the car park and all the pods collectively transport about 800 passengers a day.
Each pod can carry between four to six passengers as well as luggage. The pods top out at about 25 miles per hour and can operate during inclement weather including light to moderate snowfall.
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