Mass transit system

An on-demand mass transit system including a network of interconnecting tracks extending within a service area, the tracks including main tracks and ramp tracks, the system comprising:

• a) a plurality of passenger stations, each station located adjacent to at least one portion of the main track;
• b) a plurality of passenger vehicles for transporting passengers from an initial passenger station to a destination passenger station via the network of tracks, the initial and destination passenger stations located within the service area;
• c) a plurality of holding tracks to hold unoccupied vehicles that are available to be rapidly dispatched to transport passengers;
• d) a plurality of station interface units, each installed in one of the passenger stations to enable individuals to provide information to the system, the information including at least one of (1) passenger pickup requests, (2) the destination station the individuals are to be transported to, (3) the number of passengers to be transported, and (4) any requests for the cancellation of requested passenger pickups;
• e) computing means provided to control and coordinate the activities of the mass transit system, the computing means in communication with each station interface unit to enable the exchange of information between the computing means and the station interface units so as to process and coordinate the requests by individuals for transport, and further to process information received related to the plurality of the passenger vehicles in operation on the network of tracks to determine and provide appropriate vehicle and track control information;
• and
• f) track units installed at a plurality of spaced locations along the main tracks and the ramp tracks within the network, each track unit arranged to establish periodic communication links with passing vehicles to enable information to be exchanged between the computing means and the respective passing vehicles, the information exchanged used by at least one of the computing means and the track units to perform at least one of locating the vehicles, determining the speed of the vehicles, instructing the vehicles to increase their speed, instructing vehicles to decrease their speed, and informing vehicles of upcoming junctions within the network of tracks;
• g) the ramp tracks interconnecting each passenger station with at least two portions of the main tracks, at least two portions of the holding tracks, and enabling the movement of passenger vehicles from one portion of the main tracks to another portion of the main tracks;
• h) the computing means employing destination concerned priority when scheduling passenger transports to prevent station related bottlenecks and congestion.

A passenger station arrangement for use with an on-demand mass transit system, the mass transit system including a network of interconnecting main tracks to accommodate self-propelled vehicles and to enable passengers in the vehicles to be non-stop transported from a first location to a second location, each of the locations within the network of interconnecting main tracks, the station arrangement located adjacent to, but removed and decoupled from at least one portion of the main tracks, the station arrangement comprised of:

• a) at least one holding track provided to hold unoccupied vehicles that are available to be dispatched to transport passengers;
• b) at least one platform to enable the loading of passengers onto vehicles departing from the station arrangement and to enable the unloading of passengers from vehicles arriving at the station, the at least one platform housed in a building, with the building providing a departure room for use by individuals requesting transport from the station arrangement and an arrival room for use by individuals who are arriving at the station, the departure room and the arrival room providing access to the platform;
• c) ramp means to enable passenger vehicles to move between the platform and at least one of a portion of the main tracks and a portion of the holding track;
• and
• d) at least one station interface unit installed in the station arrangement to enable at least one individual to request a pickup at the platform by one of the passenger vehicles, to indicate the second station arrangement to be transported to, and to indicate the number of passengers to be transported.