welcome to the legacy of austrans
Friends of Austrans
Welcome to Friends of Austrans, dedicated to the innovative Austrans Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system, conceived and developed by the esteemed Australian inventor, Arthur Ernest Bishop (1917-2006), and his team at Bishop Engineering in Sydney during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The Austrans PRT System
Austrans vehicles, designed to be the size of a mini-van with nine seats, incorporate numerous breakthrough features for urban and suburban transit:
Steel Wheels and Rails
Self-Steering Bogie
Emergency Braking
Environmental Impact
Quiet Operation
Energy Efficiency
Austrans distinguishes itself from other automated people movers by overcoming the limitations of traditional transport technologies.
Its philosophy emphasizes smaller, more frequent vehicles and flexible routing, greatly benefiting commuters.
End of line
The End of an Era
Despite its innovative design, the Austrans project faced an untimely end when Bishop Engineering was taken over by a foreign company in 2012-2013, which was solely interested in the variable-ratio steering technology. The company was deregistered on September 2, 2013, and the Austrans blueprints were discarded.
About Arthur Ernest Bishop
Arthur Ernest Bishop
Arthur Bishop was a prolific inventor, best known for creating the variable-ratio steering system, now used in one-third of the cars manufactured globally each year. His remarkable journey is detailed in Clare Brown’s book, “Driven by Ideas: The Story of Arthur Bishop, a Great Australian Inventor,” published by the University of New South Wales Press in 2003. Although the book is currently out of stock, it remains a testament to Bishop’s enduring legacy (ISBN 0868406775, Dewey Number 620.0092, Libraries Australia ID 24071084).
During World War II, Arthur devised the variable-ratio steering system to address the landing difficulties faced by Spitfire fighters on Australian dirt runways, a challenge not encountered on the softer grass runways in England. This innovation was one of many that highlighted Bishop’s ability to solve complex engineering problems.
OUR VISION
The Vision Behind Austrans
The Austrans PRT system was envisioned as a solution to urban transportation challenges, including:
- Air Pollution: Reducing emissions from private motor vehicles.
- Land Use: Minimizing the space required for vehicle parking and roadways.
- Pedestrian Safety: Reducing accidents involving pedestrians.
- Traffic Congestion: Alleviating traffic jams in densely populated areas.
- Noise Pollution: Lowering noise levels compared to traditional transport.
- High Costs: Addressing the expense of manually-operated trains and buses.
Additionally, Austrans aimed to solve issues specific to public transportation, such as crowding, pathogen spread, high operational costs, and infrequent service schedules.
Join our cause.
Volunteer, Donate, Advocate.
Friends of Austrans seeks to preserve and promote the legacy of the Austrans PRT system and the groundbreaking work of Arthur Ernest Bishop. Join us in our mission to advocate for sustainable, efficient, and innovative urban transportation solutions.
Email: gefordy@hotmail.com
Call Anytime: +61 7 3142 0315