Sky Loop Cost Estimates for a Taxi 2000 Application in Cincinnati, Ohio

What does it cost? This is a very frequent question and one that is very difficult to answer because costs depend so much on the particular characteristics of the application, which are normally unique to each locale.

Shown below are cost and operating expense estimates for a particular proposed application in Cincinnati. Note that these are costs for a complete, mostly ready-to-go PRT system (i.e. it includes a small R&D item). Only when some are built will more definitive cost information become available.

This cost estimate was developed by members of the Sky Loop Committee in Cincinnati and was last revised 2/13/01. The table is included as part of the financial analysis section of the Sky Loop website. It is the most recent and detailed estimate of the cost of a PRT system with Taxi 2000 attributes that is currently available. The Sky Loop application is of a downtown circulator type. The assumed daily trips were 37,100 and the assumed vehicles per mile was 55. More detail on the proposed PRT network and other attributes can be found at the Sky Loop website.

Capital Costs Notes Unit Cost ($) Units Total Cost ($)
Guideway 1 1,803,471 12.84 $23,156,567
Posts and Foundations 1 363,825 12.84 4,671,513
Power Supply and Distribution 1 163,078 12.84 2,093,921
Stations 2 234,467 30 7,034,010
Vehicles 3 25,951 706 18,321,406
Wayside Command & Communication 4 8,774 12.84 112,658
Central Facility 5 36,630 12.84 470,329
Site Engineering 6 105,447 12.84 1,353,950
Survey and Landscaping 4 85,000 12.84 1,091,400
Erection and Adjustment 4 85,000 12.84 1,091,400
Project Construction and Management 6 116,465 12.84 1,495,420
Insurance 7 90,843 12.84 1,166,427
R&D and Marketing 6 124,758 12.84 1,601,894
Right of Way Costs 8 500,000 12.84 6,420,000
Total Capital Costs 9     70,080,898
Capital Costs per mile       5,458,013
 
Annual Operating Costs        
Operating Software Lease 10     $876,000
Guideway Maint.- OOP   26,197 12.84 336,369
   Depreciation   169,952 12.84 2,182,183
Vehicle Maint - OOP   3,082 706 2,175,892
   Depreciation   2,978 706 2,102,468
Station Maintenance   28,806 30 864,180
   Depreciation   13,021 30 390,360
Total Annual Operating Costs       8,927,723
Annual Debt Service

11

     1,360,788
Total Annual Costs       10,288,511

Notes:

1. Current proposed Sky Loop system is the plan
2. There are 30 stations in the proposed Sky Loop system
3. Number of vehicles are determined by assumed trips per day
4. Estimate based upon cost per mile
5. One central facility for management, maintenance, cleaning and storage
6.  4% of all capital costs preceding
7. 3% of all capital costs preceding
8. An allowance for overhead and underground utility relocation; subject to further analysis
9. All costs provided by Taxi 2000, 11/00, except Right-of-Way costs
10. 5% of gross income, payable to Taxi 2000 monthly
11. Assumes 50% Federal contribution, 20% State/Local contribution, and 30%  balance funded by debt. Assumes 6% tax exempt interest, 30 year amortization on debt.

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Last modified: June 04, 2007