LoopWorks

Name: LoopWorks
Address: Milpitas, CA, 95035, US
Telephone: +14082628975

Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from LoopWorks, Transit System, Milpitas, CA.

LoopWorks offers the Milpitas Metro Area an on-demand, point-to-point, all-electric Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system that is owned and controlled locally using:
- low-cost design
- flexible legal structure
- outside funding

01/05/2026

MEDIA RELEASE: LoopWorks Offers Guidance to Transit Planners

For Immediate Release: Jan. 5, 2026

Contact: LoopWorks
1421 Yellowstone Ave, Milpitas, CA 95035
Attn: Rob Means, [email protected]

LoopWorks Offers Guidance to Transit Planners
Points to consider when thinking about PRT

As a new type of transit, Personal Rapid Transit (PRT, or podcars) does not fit into the mental models of transit experts. Their habits of thinking need updating in light of modern transit options. While driverless vehicles (robo-taxis) fit the standard cars-and-roads paradigm, podcars do not. Thus, the need for some rules-of-thumb . These guidelines are also online at https://milpitasprt.com/wp-content/uploads/points-for-transit-planners-to-consider.pdf.

Think in terms of service areas, not corridor lines.
How many square-miles of your metropolitan area need podcar service? Using the ITNS design of PRT technology, a service area of 10 square-miles and bus-level fares can turn a profit.

Use PRT in congested areas, and driverless vehicles (robo-taxis) elsewhere.
Robo-taxis increase traffic by serving latent demand and repositioning vehicles between rides.

On measures of service level, cost/patron, and environmental health, PRT excels.
In short, a podcar network will bring your community health, wealth, and well-being benefits.

Deployment and operation of PRT need not be restricted to public or private corporate structures.
LoopWorks adopted a California Mutual Benefit Corporation legal structure to provide flexibility and transparency unavailable through governmental, for-profit, and tax-exempt corporate structures.

PRT capital costs vary by an order of magnitude; PRT designs with lighter-weight guideways cost less.
LoopWorks chose to use the below-average-cost ITNS design. Due to no-wait transfers, connecting networks using different PRT designs does not substantially affect origin-to-destination transit time.

The ITNS design is open-source, and available now.
The ITNS design was created through a public, peer-reviewed process. The design is free of charge, available now, and reduces the risk of selecting the wrong proprietary design. (Remember Betamax?)

Your support of the Milpitas Metro project can make a big difference soon.
Organizations outside Milpitas that donate $1000 or more for the creation and operation of the Milpitas Metro PRT can become voting members, and accelerate completion of the demonstration project.

LoopWorks is a non-profit mutual-benefit corporation with governance that is local, democratic, and balanced. For more information, visit MilpitasPRT.com or email [email protected].

# # # #

https://milpitasprt.com/wp-content/uploads/media-release-2026Jan5.pdf

11/26/2025

I called the Thom Hartmann Program, and substitute talk-show host Jefferson Smith answered. After my 2-minute introduction to Personal Rapid Transit (PRT or podcars) and why it fits his concept of “doing small-scale things at scale”, Jeff responded with 4 minutes of personal observations and the statement “My first blush on this [PRT] is that it’s brilliant.” Here’s the 6-minute audio from that Nov. 21 program: https://milpitasprt.com/wp-content/uploads/THP-2025Nov21-hour1-PRT.mp3

Learn more at MilpitasPRT.com

11/04/2025

Is visual intrusion by PRT a thing, or just NIMBYism?
Judge for yourself what transit’s future holds for us.

Some folks are glass-half-full types who anticipate problems, many of which are inconsequential. When the subject is Personal Rapid Transit (PRT or podcars), visual intrusion often comes up. Obviously, putting infrastructure 16 feet up in the air will be noticeable, but how much impact will podcar guideways actually make? LoopWorks found impact to be small for the guideways planned for the Milpitas Transit Center and Metro areas.

Most people experience the visual impact of streets daily. Have we ever thought about how much of our visual perspective is occupied by asphalt? Many of us also live with electric power lines very near our homes. How would a guideway impact one’s viewscape?

That question led to using perspective drawings that show how small the visual intrusion is. The inspiration was a scene in Apollo 13 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drAYHb2MWak at 5:20) where Tom Hanks (as astronaut Jim Lovell) holds up his thumb at arm’s length to cover the moon. It turns out that holding a golf or ping-pong ball at arm’s length will cover a 3’ by 3’ guideway that is 42’ or more away from the viewer. Try it yourself, and remember that guideways will appear even smaller when farther away.
Obviously, when 5-foot tall podcars roll along the guideway’s top surface, the view will change – just like streets when cars drive by. Also like streets, podcar traffic will vary throughout the day.

This graphic is slide 5 of an 8-slide series that shows the numbers and equations. LoopWorks encourages other PRT companies to apply the equations to their own guideway designs, and share results with the public.https://milpitasprt.com/wp-content/uploads/visual-intrusion.pdf

LoopWorks is a non-profit mutual-benefit corporation with a governance structure that is local, democratic, and balanced. For more information, visit MilpitasPRT.com or email [email protected].

10/18/2025

This might possibly be the first ever PRT podcar cake in existence. This is not only the celebration of the Milpitas demonstration project, but it's also a glimpse into the future of transit.

01/16/2025

SBPA Recommends Smarter Transit Investments Over Costly BART Extension

Instead, faster to implement and far less costly options—like buses, light rail, or Automated Transit Networks (ATN)—could achieve similar goals for less than $2 billion using local funds only. Since the new administration’s Project 2025 calls for transit projects to meet “sound economic standards and a rigorous cost-benefit analysis”, it's unlikely that the BART project will get the $5B expected from the Federal government.

Find the Media Release and background at SouthBayPA.org/bart

12/08/2024

Milpitas Podcar Project Explained the AI Way

In collaboration with KCXU-FM, the low-power station serving downtown San José, LoopWorks now offers two AI-generated introductions to Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) and its application in Milpitas.

Using a podcast format with bantering male and female voices, these episodes of the "Deep Dive" series dig into the details of the Milpitas podcar project. The business-case podcast uses material from the LoopWorks Business Plan to outline PRT’s potential to complement existing transit options. The project/technology podcast delves into why this project makes sense for Milpitas, and draws upon the LoopWorks website for material. Both complement the existing array of presentations and documents.

Manu Martinez, Founder and Station Director of KCXU-FM, has been exploring the potential of so-called Artificial Intelligence, better termed “learning machines”. He’s seeking ways to augment the live programs offered to San José residents. Mr. Martinez believes that AI “is a powerful tool that we can use to promote and empower alternative solutions to our social, economic, and environmental problems.”

Like LoopWorks, Mr. Martinez envisions a dual-loop demonstration project that promises quicker, easier, and safer transit service at lower operating costs than current options. Proposed by LoopWorks for the Metro Area of Milpitas, the project will weave together an area divided by 2 major roads, 2 rail lines, and 2 creeks. As an elevated transit system with many small neighborhood stations, PRT can bridge those barriers like a horizontal elevator.

LoopWorks President, Paul Okoye, observed that “We’ve laid a solid foundation for the project by choosing an open-source PRT design, building an in-depth website, and contacting funding sources. These podcasts will help build public awareness of the project beyond the letters of support we’ve received from organizations as diverse as the Sierra Club and Milpitas Chamber of Commerce.”

LoopWorks is a non-profit mutual-benefit corporation with a governance structure that is local, democratic, and balanced. For more information, visit MilpitasPRT.com or email [email protected].

# # # #

https://milpitasprt.com/wp-content/uploads/media-release-2024Dec6.pdf

10/31/2024

A look into Milpitas PRT Hardware:

•Guideway: Many PRT designs use road-like guideways, but Loopworks will use a narrow guideway with small captive vehicles. Here are images of the guideway truss structure.

•Vehicle Chassis: Bogies serve as the engine and chassis for PRT cabs, handling track-switching, suspension, propulsion, backup power, and braking. Unlike Heathrow's ULTra system, Loopworks will use wayside power within the guideway instead of on-board power.

•Passenger Cabins: Passenger cabins transport people and their belongings. Unlike typical bogies that only support the load, PRT bogies include propulsion, track-switching, suspension, backup power, and braking. Similar to Heathrow's ULTra system, Loopworks will feature small cabs that can accommodate bicycles and wheelchairs.

•PRT Stations: Small stations are easy to site; low cost allows for many easy-to-access stations.

Learn more at milpitas.prt/technology/hardware
Have any more technical questions? Leave a comment below!

10/29/2024

We’ve discovered that only 0.2% of foundation funds are available for unsolicited climate projects like Milpitas PRT—far less than we’d hoped. With your help, we can shift the odds!

If you know anyone in climate-focused foundations, please share our project and website. Every connection counts! View the post for a full list of organizations we hope to connect to, and if you want to learn more, visit milpitasprt.com/support-prt

10/24/2024

Check out the LoopWorks Business Plan summary, key insights, and FAQ's!

View the full document at milpitasprt.com/governance/documents/
or comment if you have any other questions!

10/17/2024

LoopWorks Secretary, Rob Means, spoke on KCXU 92.7 FM with host, Belinda Quesada about Milpitas PRT. It was then introduced in a 3-minute overview during a 7-minute PSA for State of Mind from KSQD podcasts promoting “Being Human; Living Well”.

Listen to the full 47-minute podcast with Rob and Belinda here: https://milpitasprt.com/wp-content/uploads/LoopWorks-KCXU-interview-2024Aug.mp3

Listen to the 3-minute overview (1:42 – 4:40) here: https://milpitasprt.com/wp-content/uploads/State-of-Mind-PSA-2024Oct.wav

10/10/2024

Here are some FAQs regarding the Intelligent Transportation Network System (ITNS):

• What are the main benefits of the ITNS?
The ITNS offers reduced congestion, lower transportation costs, minimized environmental impact, and improved user comfort through its innovative design.

• How does the ITNS ensure safety for passengers?
The system includes safety features such as a robust control system, fire prevention, lightning protection, and emergency controls to ensure passenger safety.

• How does ITNS plan to assess its environmental impact?
ITNS will conduct assessments evaluating energy efficiency and emissions, develop strategies to minimize negative impacts, and ensure compliance with sustainability standards.

If you want to learn more, or view the business plan for yourself, visit milpitasprt.com/governance/documents

10/03/2024

Financing Operations and Maintenance (O&M) for Milpitas PRT:

Operations and Maintenance (O&M) is estimated to be 1% - 3% of capital costs, totaling $0.6M - $1.8M annually. While most publicly-owned transit systems charge fares and operate at a loss, LoopWorks aims to offer free rides and cover its low O&M expenses through Alternative Revenue Streams.

- Farebox Recovery – Not!:
LoopWorks recognizes that charging a fare alters the relationship between riders and the transit system. Also, charging a fare could provide a revenue stream for growing the initial Milpitas PRT System to serve more of Milpitas. However, LoopWorks is disinclined to charge fares at this time for various reasons that can be found in the LoopWorks Business Plan.

- Alternative Revenue Streams:
To cover the Operations & Maintenance (O&M) costs of the free PRT system in the Transit Area, LoopWorks will use a three-tier approach: an endowment (Plan A), add-on services (Plan B), and farebox recovery (Fallback Plan). LoopWorks will initially focus on Plan A and develop Plan B, which consists of multiple small income streams. If these are insufficient, user fares may be considered.

What ideas do you have for generating alternative revenue streams to support free rides on the Milpitas PRT system?

Address

Milpitas, CA
95035

Telephone

+14082628975

Website

https://milpitasprt.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when LoopWorks posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your business to be the top-listed Transport Service in Milpitas?