Swyft Cities: 5 Dallas-area cities have expressed interest

Swyft Cities is excited to announce that 5 Dallas-area cities – Dallas, Plano, Arlington, Frisco & DeSoto – have expressed interest in being the site of the first U.S. installations of the Whoosh® transportation system, which uses electric vehicles that resemble conventional aerial gondolas but use advanced autonomous technologies to move independently along an elevated network of fixed cables and rails. Vehicles are on-demand like an Uber, and systems can be built at a cost far below conventional transit projects. All trips are fast and nonstop with no stops at intermediate stations. 

Swyft Cities is working with NCTCOG Transportation (North Central Texas Council of Governments) to evaluate potential sites in some of the cities and potential partnership conversations to decide which of the five cities will be the first to move forward with a pilot system and more detailed discussions on potential timelines, routes, planning, etc. 

NCTCOG’s Certification of Emerging and Reliable Transportation Technology (CERTT) program is looking to bring advanced transportation technologies to North Texas. Safety and reliability are important considerations of transportation planners since North Texas is one of the fastest-growing regions of the country. NCTCOG’s Mobility 2045 Update, the region’s long-range transportation plan, forecasts that more corridors will become significantly congested by 2045. 

“We’re excited to be working with these five cities to bring advanced transportation to cities in North Texas,” said Jeral Poskey, Swyft Cities CEO. “Whoosh provides the ’perfect Uber’ – fast, on-demand, nonstop trips with a great view. Vehicles are waiting for you at stations, instead of the other way around. Whoosh can connect places across North Texas in new ways that will get you there quickly and conveniently, enabling you to glide over street traffic with zero emissions.” 

“The North Central Texas Council of Governments and Regional Transportation Council have a history of meeting transportation challenges with innovative technologies,” said Michael Morris, P.E., NCTCOG director of transportation. “Dallas-Fort Worth is one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, adding more than 1 million residents every 7 years. We look forward to working with our public- and private-sector partners to advance the types of transportation solutions that will help us manage this growth and enhance quality of life. These solutions are perfect for urban areas where at-grade space is limited.” 

Swyft Cities implements the Whoosh® autonomous elevated cable & rail system. Multiple prototypes of this technology demonstrated low cost, an excellent user experience with great views & environmental sustainability with zero emissions. Swyft Cities was spun out from Google into a separate business to help bring the technology to market.