Abstract
In the United States the automobile has played a predominant role in transportation for the past twenty years. However, more than more planners. Believe that modern public transportation systems are needed to supplement the automobile. As a result more than 30 systems and concepts for automated distribution systems (small transit systems) have been proposed. The general characteristics of these new systems are discussed. An analysis of the costs and the benefits has been shown that several of the system are economically feasible.