Firm proposes to build ‘podcar’ transport system in Mandaue city

FUTRAN Philippines Inc. has proposed to build the country’s first podcars in Mandaue City, as it introduces the first-ever “people mover project” and a transport technology that has already been adopted in other countries.

The company has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the City Government for the feasibility study of this elevated “environment-friendly” mass transport system or what it calls the podcar system.

Mayor Jonas Cortes has approved the conduct of this feasibility study. “As Mayor of Mandaue City, I am excited to announce our partnership with Futran Philippines for the feasibility study of the first-ever people mover project in the country,” he said.

“Mandaue is one of the cities in the country that is a green city, meaning a city that is sustainable and also very progressive. We are privileged that Mayor Jonas agreed to this green concept of a people mover project as we are looking forward to this proof of concept to be the future of transportation in the country,” said Futran Philippines president Jose Christopher Fornier II.

Futran’s transport technology is a state-of-the-art automated, low-cost mass transportation system for people and goods.

As Mandaue shifts to becoming a green city, Cortes said the City is committed to sustainable and progressive development, “which is why we have agreed to explore this environment-friendly mass transport system project.”

“I am looking forward to seeing this proof of concept as the future of transportation in the country, which will also help minimize traffic congestion in busy, progressive streets like those of Mandaue City,” the mayor said. “I am proud that Mandaue City is at the forefront of introducing green mobility solutions in the Philippines, and I am excited to see the results of the feasibility study.”

Elevated transport

The concept of suspended, elevated transport has well proven to be safe and reliable and has been used in countries like Germany, Japan and China.

Futran said the first suspended transport system in the world was completed in 1901 in Wuppertal, Germany and is still running with a daily ridership of 82,000 passengers. The firm said it simply modernizes the said system using much improved modern manufacturing, control and construction techniques and technologies.

Once implemented, Futran’s podcar system is expected to solve traffic congestion in busy streets like those of Mandaue City.

Futran’s podcar system is a suspended automated transit network with vehicle capacities of up to 20 passengers that run on-demand as opposed to on schedule. “The system does not interfere with the existing traffic below and can easily blend into the city,” said Fornier. “Because the track is elevated, people and animal movement on the ground can continue. The new track is supplied in modular components for quick assembly and erecting using basic tools and machinery that is readily available and cost-effective.”

The safety and reliability of the Futran transport system will be managed by Germany’s TUV Rheinland, a world-renowned technical service provider and certification body. Among other such systems, TUV Rheinland still is involved in the Wuppertal Schwebebahn, a suspension railway in Wuppertal, Germany.

“Suspended system has not been popular globally due to its relatively high costs and system complexity. And this is where the Futran system comes in with a low cost yet simple model that is even safer than its predecessors. TUV Rheinland will make sure of it,” said Vincent Tan, regional vice president for Greater China and Asia Pacific for Future Mobility Solutions.

The feasibility study officially takes effect upon the signing of the MOU and will run for six months but can be extended to another half a year should the need arise.

“Once we are finished with the feasibility study then we will have a gauge already on where the alignments will be, where we will deploy it, what kind of system, where the stations will be,” added Fornier.

The company said this system is a 100 percent green concept and will use solar energy to energize. Solar panels will be deployed on top of every beam that will serve to power every podcar.

Futran Philippines is a green mobility company that entered the country in 2022. Its mother company, Futran Global, is in the business of green mobility, transport systems, electrical systems and container haulage systems. According to its website, the firm has presence in Africa, US, China and Australia. (CSL with PR)