When I say transit, what comes to mind? Riding the bus, a trolley or a light rail system? Well a new mode of transit is gaining popularity nationally, and many say it’s cheaper, cleaner and quicker to build than subways and light rail.

What is it? It’s not a bird or a plane, but a gondola up there in the sky. A gondola?? Yeah, essentially heavy-duty ski lifts. A number of jurisdictions around the world have started using them for public transit or are looking to do so, including in Germany, Quebec, Saudi Arabia, London, Venezuela, Colombia, Nigeria, and Algeria.

Here’s an article from ‘The Star’ in Toronto about a professor there, a transportation engineer, who says trams are worth another look.

Here’s his video “Aerial Ropeway Transit: Exploring its Potential for Makkah.”

U of T Research Contributing to Makkah’s Transportation Development from Colin Anderson on Vimeo.

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