Announcing the ATRA Fall Conference

In Partnership with:
The University of California Santa Cruz and
 
Santa Cruzans For Responsible Planning, and
 
Santa Cruz Citizens for PRT ( CPRTu )
.........with co-sponsoship by the City of Santa Cruz,

ATRA is proud to present a conference about

Personal Rapid Transit - (PRT)

In picturesque Santa Cruz, California,

on the shores of Monterey Bay

(just 30 minutes drive South of San Jose International Airport)

NEXT STEPS FOR PRT

            Location:

  • Friday, November 17th at the
  • Saturday, November 18th at the

Santa Cruz may be an optimal site for PRT installation. With a modest population of around 58,000, Santa Cruz experiences millions of beach visitors each year. Santa Cruz must also accomidate about 38,000 vehicle trips each day to and from the University of California, Santa Cruz Campus. Santa Cruz is a little city with a BIG-CITY transportation need. That's why citizens of Santa Cruz and the University have agreed to co-sponsor this conference.

Although PRT activities are progressing on many fronts a PRT deployment in an urban setting is still in the future. Worldwide there questions of what are the NEXT STEPS for PRT? One thing is certain – in order to establish PRT it will take not only the producers of a PRT system but also the active participation and approval of some specific City and/or urban transportation authorities.

Recognizing this fundamental relationship, ATRA is holding a unique conference in which the local people and transportation professionals in the Santa Cruz area will actively participate with ATRA members and PRT experts in the conference program. It is envisioned that this mixture will give all participants beneficial insights into the NEXT STEPS that can be taken in the ongoing effort to develop a truly new form of transportation for the 21 st century.

Program schedule, registration instructions, display information, and hotel information to follow.

Program:   (program schedule subject to change)

Day One: Friday, November 17th at The UCSC Inn, 611 Ocean Street, Santa Cruz, California UCSC Inn

Morning Session – PRT and Local Issues

8:00 – Continental Breakfast, Registration, and Networking

9:00 – Conference Welcome and Program Overview

Ed Porter – Santa Cruz City Councilman

9:30 – Keynote Address – Global perspective – PRT progress/availability

Larry Fabian – ATRA Officer, and publisher of the TransitPulse newsletter

10:00 – Santa Cruz PRT Concept Overview

Jeral Poskey – ATRA Chairman – Former Manager of Business Relations Taxi2000 PRT Company, PRT consultant

10:30 - Break

11:00 – Current University of Santa Cruz Transportation Issues

Larry Pageler–Senior Planner for UC Santa Cruz Transportation and Parking Services

11:30 - City of Santa Cruz Policy Issues from resident's perspectives

Reed Searle – Of Santa Cruzans for Responsible Planning
Todd Prindle - On needed linkages for off-season tourism

12:00 - Lunch

Afternoon Session: – Public Participation

12:15 – Welcome to the Public and PRT Vehicle Exhibit (Hotel Parking Lot)

Bill James – PRT Company CEO

1:00 – What is PRT - Public Introduction – TBA

1: 15 – Consulting Perspectives of Next Steps for PRT

David Mori – CEO of Transportation Consulting Firm Jakes Associates

2:00 – Panel Discussion – “What proof does a City need”

2:45 – Break

3:00 – City of Santa Cruz Transportation Issues

Les White – Director of Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transportation District

3:30 - Next Steps for PRT – Open Public Forum

Ed Porter - Moderator

4:15– Concluding Remarks

Fred Keely – Santa Cruz County Treasurer, Former California Assembly Speaker Pro Tem

4:45 – Invitation to Day Two
Larry Fabian

Day Two: November 18th at The Santa Cruz Coast Hotel, 175 West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, California Coast Santa Cruz Hotel

Morning Session:
"Next Steps” in Funding and Planning

7:30 – Continental Breakfast, Registration, Networking

8:30 – Opening Remarks

Dennis Manning – ATRA Member

9: 00 – New Funding Opportunities

Chris Perkins and John Cole – Skytran PRT Representatives

9:30 – Planning Processes New Perspective

Ian Ford – PRT Activist Albuquerque, New Mexico

10:00 Break

10:15 - Parking and Architecture Implications for PRT

Shannon McDonald - AIA (Author of upcoming book: The American Parking Garage -  An Evolution of a Modern Urban Form )

10: 45 – Grass Roots Organizations

Dick Gronning – Founding member of Citizens for Personal Rapid

Transit Organization

11:15 – Long Range Considerations – Design Standards

Bob Dunning – ATRA President

12:00 - Lunch

Afternoon Session: – Next Steps on studies, research, local government relations

 

1:00 – Implementation of PRT in Swedish Cities and PRT Self Financing

Magnus Hunhammar and Christer Lindstrom – Executives of the Institute for Sustainable Transportation

1:30 – Solar Power Potential with PRT

Ron Swenson – Bay Area Developer and Solar Investor

2:00 – Minimizing the External Costs of Transit

Neil Garcia-Sinclair - President, CyberTran International

2:45 – Break

3:00 – Transit Oriented Development and Sustainability

Steve Raney – Transportation Consultant

3:30 – Panel Discussion – Startup System Alternatives

4:30 – Conference Wrap up

Dennis Manning, Larry Fabian, Ed Porter

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General Information:

There will be tables set up for handout material – reports, articles, CDs, tapes, booklets, etc., and poster stands. Wall banners can be put up at first day venue. We encourage you or your organization to bring such materials. There will not be booths and exhibit spaces.

Hotels will furnish computer projection connections and screens, and PA equipment. Coffee and drink service will be available throughout the conference.

A continental breakfast and buffet lunch will be served on both days at no extra charge for registered guests. All attendees will be on their own for dinners.

Note: Each day of the conference will be held at separate locations about 1 mile apart. Limited shuttles will be available.

Registration:

To register on-line for the ATRA Next Steps Conference go to:

Online Conference registration

Registration Fee:

Before October 21 - ATRA Member $30, Non-member $45

October 21 and After – ATRA Member $ 45. Non-member $60

On-site – ATRA member $55, Non-member $70

To register via regular mail submit the following information:

Registration for ATRA Conference “Next Steps for PRT” 11/17,18, 2006

Santa Cruz, California.

Name:_________________________________________

Affiliation:_______________________________________

Address:________________________________________

Phone:_________________________________________

Email:__________________________________________

Before October 21 - ATRA Member $30, Non-member $45

After October 21 – ATRA Member $ 45. Non-member $60

On-site – ATRA member $55, Non-member $70

Make check payable to the Advanced Transit Association.

Mail to:

Advanced Transit Association
C/O Larry Fabian
P.O. Box 220249
Boston, MA 02122

For further information contact:

Dennis Manning - 559 323-1614 - mailto:john.manning4@comcast.net

or Ed Porter - 831 427-0836 - mailto:eporter95@aol.com

Hotel Reservations

Attendees will be responsible for their own hotel reservations. Be sure to ask for special ATRA rates. Conference will be held at the UCSC Inn of the first day, Friday the 17th , and at the Coast Santa Cruz hotel on the second day, Saturday the 18th. The sites are about 1 mile apart. Limited shuttle transportation will be available.

Friday: The University of California Santa Cruz Inn

UCSC Inn
611 Ocean Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
831 426-7100 or 866 827-2666
http://www.ucscinn.com/

Basic ATRA rate begins at $89 Thursday, Fri, Sat: $119

Saturday: The Coast Santa Cruz Hotel

175 West Cliff Drive
Santa Cruz, CA 05060
831 426-4330
Fax 831 427-2025
http://www.coasthotels.com/home/sites/santacruz/

Basic ATRA rate is $119 per night

Travel Connections

For those flying into the San Jose Airport, Santa Cruz is about a 30 minute drive. A full selection of major brand rental cars is available.

If you would like to avoid a rental car, there are a couple shuttles that go to Santa Cruz several times each day. The Santa Cruz Airporter seems to be the most economical. Each day, these shuttles leave the airport for Santa Cruz at 
11 AM, 1PM, 3PM, 5PM, 7PM, and  9PM. The phone number for the Santa Cruz Airporter is 831 423-1214. -

A Shuttle between venues is planned in the morning and evenings. Details available at front desk when checking into hotel.

. . . . . The view of the Santa Cruz Main Beach to the East of the Saturday Conference site.