ParkShuttle

Parkshuttle
Parkshuttle
	Parkshuttle II vehicle outside Kralingse Zoom station during testing in 2005
Overview
Owner	Rotterdam-The Hague metropolitan area
Locale	Rotterdam
Termini	Kralingse Zoom metro station ; Rivium Business Park;
Stations	5
Service
Type	People Mover, self-driving bus
Services	1
Operator(s)	Connexxion
Rolling stock	6
Daily ridership	1,200 (2018)
History
Opened	1999
Technical
Line length	1.8 kilometres (1.1 mi)
Number of tracks	2 lanes (except bridge over N210 and underpass below A16, single lane)
Operating speed	32 kilometres per hour (20 mph)
Route map
	Legend

Last updated February 21, 2024

The ParkShuttle is an electrically-driven, autonomous shuttle service that runs between Kralingse Zoom metro station in Rotterdam to the Rivium business park in Capelle aan den IJssel. The system first opened 1999 and has been extended since. It has three stops in Rivium (at the 4th, 2nd and 1st streets), a stop Fascinatio (serving the residential area in Capelle aan den IJssel and the Brainpark III business park) and finally at Kralingse Zoom metro station. In 2022 six vehicles of the third generation entered service.

Parkshuttle is owned by the Rotterdam-The Hague metropolitan area (MRDH) and operated by the Connexxion bus company. The route lies on its own right-of-way, but it does have level crossings with cars, cyclists and pedestrians. It is double-lane throughout except for a bridge over the N210 "Abraham van Rijckevorselweg" highway and an underpass below the A16 motorway to connect to the railway station.

On weekdays, the Shuttle runs between 06:00 and 21:00. During rush hour a shuttle runs every 2.5 minutes. Outside rush hours, the shuttle runs on demand with passengers pressing a button at the station to summon a vehicle.^[1]

In 2018 it was unique as the only operational automated road vehicle in Europe in permanent (revenue generating) service.^[2] Since 2015 a number of similar shared autonomous vehicle systems have been developed and trialed in routes shared with other vehicles or pedestrians. The ParkShuttle was trialed in 2019 at both Brussels Airport ^[3] and at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.^[4] Some other systems are in operation on private roads (such as around factories). As of 2021^[update] some revenue systems are being trialed.

Features

The system, a hybrid between a personal rapid transit and an automated people mover, works like a horizontal elevator. A shuttle can be manually called at the stop, and there are buttons in the shuttle to request each stop individually (compared to a regular bus service, where stops must be requested at the appropriate time and location).

As of 2018^[update], the route is 1.8 kilometres (1.1 mi) long and uses six shuttle vehicles numbered 1 through 6 (administratively numbered 5801 to 5806).

The vehicles are fully automatic and follow a virtual route where their positions are checked based on artificial reference points (in the form of small magnets in the road surface). They stop at fixed positions at the stations, most of which can fit two shuttles, one behind another. They were originally uni-directional (with front-wheel steering) and reversed direction at turning loops at both ends of the route, though they can also go in reverse as of Generation III. There is an automatic charging station at the Kralingse Zoom metro station where the batteries of the shuttles are charged every day.

The shuttles are designated as line 500 in timetables, but this is not indicated on the shuttles. The service was free of charge to use until the end of 2011, due to the lack of ticket machines and validators (later replaced by OV-chipcard readers) along with supervisors. Since the end of 2011, OV-chipcard readers are installed at the stops and no paper tickets are sold. As OV-chipcards can only be bought at the metro station proper (not the shuttle stop), passengers must have an OV chipcard on hand when boarding at other stops.

Experimental phase

An experimental phase started in 1997 with a vehicle that drove without any passengers for the first three months. The next three months test passengers rode the vehicle and crossing traffic was simulated. During the experimental phase a steward was in the vehicle. Eventually regular passengers were able to use the vehicle and the steward was no longer needed in the vehicle.^[2]

Generation I

The first version of the Parkshuttle ran from February 1999 to 2001 between Rotterdam and Capelle aan den IJssel. An evaluation showed that the new vehicle needed to be able to move more passengers and the waiting time had to be reduced. Furthermore, there was a need for a reliable system and better travel information.

Generation II

For ParkShuttle II the route was extended and became dual lane. New vehicles were introduced with more transport capacity: ParkShuttle II can carry a maximum of 22 passengers. The system and the vehicles were supplied by 2getthere,^[5] where Spijkstaal ^[6] supplied the chassis and drive system and the design was made by Duvedec.^[7]

On 1 December 2006 ParkShuttle II was officially inaugurated by Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende. A day later the ParkShuttle was open to the public. Prior to that, concessionaire Connexxion had been granted a concession for the period 2006-2011. In 2011, after a new tender, the concession for a further period of 5 years was awarded to Connexxion. In 2016 the concession was extended by 2 years until December 2018.

Shortly after the system was put into operation, a collision occurred between two vehicles (without a driver) during start-up. The analysis of the incident showed that, after loss of communication at start-up of the system and after removal of the vehicle, an error was made by the supervisor as a result of which two other vehicles were allowed to enter the single lane section from different sides. The obstacle detection system did react, but could not prevent the collision. In addition, one vehicle was damaged by a fire in the storage of the vehicles.

After repairing the vehicles, the ParkShuttle has been running without any significant problems ever since.

During the period of April 2011 to December 2011, the system was out of service due to the construction of a parking garage at the Kralingse Zoom station. The ParkShuttle could not be used because the lane was blocked. A replacement bus service was used during this period. This bus service also runs in case of emergencies and drives on a lane next to the ParkShuttle.

The Metropolitan region Rotterdam-The Hague and the municipality of Capelle aan den IJssel undertook major maintenance on the existing ParkShuttle lane at the beginning of 2017.

Generation III

On 7 March 2018 the MRDH granted Connexxion a new concession for 15 years, for the period December 2018 to December 2033.^[8] This concession includes an extension of the route, renewal of the fleet of shuttles and driving in mixed traffic on some parts of the route. The supplier of the system is again 2getthere, who has worked together with the municipality of Capelle aan den IJssel for this purpose. Together they have submitted a proposal for the replacement and extension with the Marketplace for Infrastructure of the 'Verkeersonderneming', which was granted early 2017. With this, the 'Verkeersonderneming' is responsible for 50% of the costs of realization.

In 2019 the vehicles were due to be replaced and the route extended to the Nieuwe Maas waterway, where passengers can change to the Waterbus at the Van Brienenoordbrug stop. In November 2022, after some delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the new third generation shuttles went into operation.^[9] The new vehicles are lighter than before, have air-conditioning and can drive in two directions which means the turning loops at the termini are no longer be needed.

It is foreseen to extend the existing route towards the waterfront where a stop for the Waterbus will be created. On the extended route, the ParkShuttle will autonomously drive on the public road in mixed traffic.^[10]

Related Research Articles

Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands after the national capital of Amsterdam. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the "New Meuse" inland shipping channel, dug to connect to the Meuse at first and now to the Rhine.

Capelle aan den IJssel is a small city and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of 67,319 in 2021, and covers an area of 15.40 km² (5.95 sq mi), of which 1.26 km² (0.49 sq mi) is water. It is situated on the eastern edge of Rotterdam, on the Hollandse IJssel river.

Krimpen aan den IJssel is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of 29,410 in 2021, and covers an area of 8.95 km² (3.46 sq mi) of which 1.26 km² (0.49 sq mi) is water.

Nederlandse Spoorwegen is the principal passenger railway operator in the Netherlands. It is a Dutch state-owned company founded in 1938. The Dutch rail network is the busiest in the European Union, and the third busiest in the world after Switzerland and Japan.

HTM Personenvervoer NV is a public transport company in the Netherlands operating trams, lightrail and buses in The Hague, Rijswijk, Leidschendam, Voorburg, Delft, Zoetermeer, Wateringen, Pijnacker and Nootdorp, the so-called Conurbation Haaglanden. The lightrail connection to Zoetermeer is operated in cooperation with RET, the Rotterdam-public transport company, which operates the connection between The Hague Central Station and Slinge in the south of Rotterdam, thus giving a fast and easy connection between the two city-centres. Regional transports are serviced by Connexxion, Arriva and RET.

RandstadRail is a light rail network in the Rotterdam–The Hague metropolitan area in the west of the Netherlands that is jointly operated by HTM Personenvervoer (HTM) and Rotterdamse Elektrische Tram (RET). It connects the cities of Rotterdam, The Hague and Zoetermeer, primarily using former train and existing tram tracks.

The Rotterdam Metro is a rapid transit system operated in Rotterdam, Netherlands and surrounding municipalities by RET. The first line, called Noord – Zuidlijn opened in 1968 and ran from Centraal Station to Zuidplein, crossing the river Nieuwe Maas in a tunnel. It was the first metro system to open in the Netherlands. At the time it was also one of the shortest metro lines in the world with a length of only 5.9 km (3.7 mi).

Vehicular automation involves the use of mechatronics, artificial intelligence, and multi-agent systems to assist the operator of a vehicle such as a car, lorries, aircraft, or watercraft. A vehicle using automation for tasks such as navigation to ease but not replace human control, qualify as semi-autonomous, whereas a fully self-operated vehicle is termed autonomous.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National tariff system (Netherlands)</span>

The national tariff system is a ticketing and zoning scheme for local public transport in the Netherlands. It was designed as a nationwide scheme but is being phased out and replaced by the OV-chipkaart. With the abolition of the strippenkaart on 3 November 2011, only the sterabonnement remains organized under the national tariff system. The system does not apply to Dutch Railways (NS), which have their own pricing regime; however, there are limited sections of railway on which the system is valid.

The OV-chipkaart is a contactless smart card and integrated ticketing system used for all public transport in the Netherlands. First introduced in the Rotterdam Metro in April 2005, it has subsequently been rolled out to other areas and travel modes. It fully replaced the national strippenkaart system for buses, trams, and metro trains in 2011, and the paper ticket system for rail travel in July 2014.

Capelsebrug is a station on lines A, B, and C of the Rotterdam Metro. The station is situated in the eastern part of Rotterdam in the Netherlands, at the boundary with Capelle aan den IJssel municipality. At Capelsebrug station, lines A and B turn north towards Schenkel station, while line C continues east towards Slotlaan station..

De Terp is a subway station on Line C of the Rotterdam Metro and is situated in the town of Capelle aan den IJssel, in the Oostgaarde area, just east of Rotterdam. It is the northern terminus of the line.

Kralingse Zoom is a subway station on lines A, B, and C of the Rotterdam Metro, in the Kralingen neighbourhood of eastern Rotterdam. The station is located just west of the A16 motorway on the east side of Kralingse Zoom, the road it is named after. At Kralingse Zoom station, transfer is available to several bus lines, as well as to the ParkShuttle, a people mover to a nearby business district.

Capelle Centrum is a subway station on Line C of the Rotterdam Metro and is situated in the town of Capelle aan den IJssel, just east of Rotterdam.

Schenkel is a subway station on Rotterdam Metro lines A and B, and is situated in the northeastern part of Rotterdam, in the borough Prins Alexander. The station is named after a neighbourhood in nearby Capelle aan den IJssel, situated to the southeast of the subway station.

The Government of Rotterdam is the government of the municipality and city of Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Most of the inhabitants live in the city of Rotterdam, but the municipality also covers a number of small villages, and other parts of the local government, such as Rozenburg, cover an even larger area.

The main public transport in the Netherlands for longer distances is by train. Long-distance buses are limited to a few missing railway connections. Regional and local public transport is by bus, and in some cities by metro and tram. There are also ferries.

Spijkstaal is a Dutch car company from Spijkenisse, Netherlands. It specializes in electric cars, especially trucks for industrial usage. Its electric carts operate in Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, flower auctions including the Royal FloraHolland, and military airfields. Among the general public, Spijkstaal is mostly known for being the manufacturer of mobile grocery stores.

Schiphol Busnet is the name used by Connexxion to operate the public transport by bus at Schiphol Airport and the town of Schiphol, and the surrounding towns of Aalsmeer, Amstelveen, Amsterdam and Badhoevedorp. Prior to December 2017, the network was operated using the brand name Schiphol Sternet.

The Capelle train accident took place on 15 November 1899 in Capelle aan den IJssel, Netherlands when a mail train collided with a passenger train in a heavy fog, resulting in the deaths of 8 people with a further 12 injured. It is the deadliest train accident in the Netherlands in the 19th century.

References

↑ "Park shuttle". Archived from the original on 3 May 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
1 2 "Driverless electric vehicles at Businesspark Rivium near Rotterdam (the Netherlands): from operation on dedicated track since 2005 to public roads in 2020". Conference: EVS31At: Kobe, Japan: 7. October 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
↑ "Self-driving people mover makes its maiden trip at brussels airport" . Retrieved 28 June 2021.
↑ "NTU Singapore to test autonomous vehicles on the NTU Smart Campus" . Retrieved 28 June 2021.
↑ 2getthere
↑ About Spijkstaal
↑ http://www.duvedec.com/start.html?route=nl/ Archived 2018-05-27 at the Wayback Machine Duvedec
↑ https://www.connexxion.nl/reizen/1190/mrdh-verleent-concessie-parkshuttle-aan-connexxion/5055/ Archived 2018-05-07 at the Wayback Machine Connexxion
↑ "Reizigers kunnen vanaf 5 december weer mee met de ParkShuttle". Transdev. 2022-12-05. Retrieved 2022-12-05.
↑ "RIVIUM 3.0". 2getthere. 2022-12-05. Retrieved 2022-12-05.

External links

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[1] "Park shuttle". Archived from the original on 3 May 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2021.

[2018KobePaper-2] 1 2 "Driverless electric vehicles at Businesspark Rivium near Rotterdam (the Netherlands): from operation on dedicated track since 2005 to public roads in 2020". Conference: EVS31At: Kobe, Japan: 7. October 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2021.

[3] "Self-driving people mover makes its maiden trip at brussels airport" . Retrieved 28 June 2021.

[4] "NTU Singapore to test autonomous vehicles on the NTU Smart Campus" . Retrieved 28 June 2021.

[5] 2getthere

[6] About Spijkstaal

[7] ttp://www.duvedec.com/start.html?route=nl/ Archived 2018-05-27 at the Wayback Machine Duvedec

[8] ttps://www.connexxion.nl/reizen/1190/mrdh-verleent-concessie-parkshuttle-aan-connexxion/5055/ Archived 2018-05-07 at the Wayback Machine Connexxion

[9] "Reizigers kunnen vanaf 5 december weer mee met de ParkShuttle". Transdev. 2022-12-05. Retrieved 2022-12-05.

[10] "RIVIUM 3.0". 2getthere. 2022-12-05. Retrieved 2022-12-05.

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