Guidebook for Planning and Implementing Automated People Mover Systems at Airports (2010)

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5The 44 airport APMs operating worldwide in 2010 provide greater passenger conveyance capacity over greater distances than ever before. As air traffic continues to grow over time and new airport construction is constrained, the result will be con- tinued passenger growth at existing airports. Undoubtedly, some existing airports will implement their first APM to meet their growing passenger conveyance requirements. Thus the need was identified by ACRP to develop a guidebook that would: • Assist airports considering the feasibility of an APM, and • Aid the planning and implementation of APM systems when appropriate. Additionally, research was needed to provide a historical per- spective of airport APM systems worldwide, a review of existing airport APM systems, a discussion of available and evolving APM technologies, and a summary of alternative APM service configurations. Research results were to be presented in a way that provided practical methodologies and planning criteria for conceptual development, evaluation, and implementation of airport APM systems. 2.1 Purpose The purpose of this guidebook is to assist airport staff and planners/designers in assessing the feasibility of providing an APM system, either airside or landside, at their facility. Furthermore, if an APM system is determined to be feasible, then the guidebook’s purpose is to assist airport staff in the planning and implementation of the APM and its interfaces with other airport facilities such as terminal buildings and garages. The guidebook will also assist airport professionals involved with operating airport APMs in terms of operations and maintenance (O&M), APM system expansion, and nego- tiations for ongoing O&M services. 2.2 Who Should Use This Guidebook? This guidebook was developed for use by airport planners, architects, designers, and engineers who have responsibility for the technical evaluation of passenger conveyance at an air- port. An airport career background is assumed, and therefore certain topics that are airport related, but not APM specific, are covered only at a general level. 2.3 How to Use This Guidebook How airport professionals should best use the guidebook will vary with the stage or level of the project in which they are involved. History of APM Systems and Their Roles at Airports (Chapter 3), APM System Characteristics (Chap- ter 4), Needs Identification and Assessment (Chapter 6), and Matching Needs with Passenger Conveyance Technolo- gies (Chapter 7) are valuable to airport planners in the early master planning phase. Airport APM Planning Process Over- view (Chapter 5), APM System Definition and Planning Methodology (Chapter 8), and Theoretical Examples of APM Planning and Implementation (Appendix A) are more appropriate for planners and designers where an APM has already been identified as the preferred technology. For APM projects where the APM system design has already been concluded, Project Coordination, Justification, and Feasibility (Chapter 9); APM System Procurement (Chap- ter 10); and Operations and Maintenance (Chapter 11) are most appropriate. Finally, part of Chapter 11 discusses pro- curement of ongoing O&M services for an existing APM system. This material and System Expansion and Overhaul (Chapter 12) are included for airport professionals involved with an existing APM system that is operating at their airport. An important note of caution is warranted for all readers of the guidebook. This document is only a guide, and alone will C H A P T E R 2 Introduction

not be sufficient to plan and/or implement an airport APM without the participation of professionals with significant APM experience. Part of the reason for this is the sheer magni- tude of airport APMs: they require significant airport resources in terms staff effort, and the type of that effort (planning, design, engineering, construction, and testing) varies over the course of a project. Another reason to use this guidebook with caution is that APMs affect other major facilities at the airport. Therefore, if an APM is not implemented properly, it can adversely affect the functioning interface with the other airport facilities. APMs have their own technical terms and acronyms that can be challenging to those first learning about the technology. A number of these terms are introduced in the next chapter to aid the reader in understanding the general historic trends. More detailed descriptions of APM terms are provided in Chapter 4 (APM System Characteristics) and in the glossary provided in Appendix C. 2.4 Other ACRP Reports ACRP serves as one of the main ways that the airport indus- try develops solutions to meet the demands placed on it. ACRP produces a series of research reports, similar to this guidebook, for use by airport operators, local agencies, the FAA, and other interested parties to disseminate findings on important issues facing the industry. Specific ACRP research reports and proj- ects that deal with the topics covered in this guidebook include: • ACRP Report 4: Ground Access to Major Airports by Public Transportation, • ACRP Report 10: Innovations for Airport Terminal Facilities; • ACRP Report 25: Airport Passenger Terminal Planning and Design, Volume 1: Guidebook, • Project 03-14: “Airport Passenger Conveyance System Usage/Throughput” (in process), and • Project 03-07: “A Guidebook for Measuring Performance of Automated People Mover Systems at Airports” (in process). 6