USA: Alstom has been awarded a $437m contract to modernise and operate the Skyway automated peoplemover at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.
The contract announced on March 24 includes a new operations control centre, upgrading the automatic train control system to Alstom’s Urbalis technology, installing a more reliable communication system, replacing the station doors for faster boarding and the supply of 16 Innovia APM R vehicles to replace the original Innovia APM 100 cars. Alstom will also provide 15 years of operations and maintenance, with a dedicated 48‑person on‑site team.
Accommodating growth
The upgrade aims to reduce service disruptions, improve passenger flow between terminals and enhance the overall travel experience as the airport undergoes a multi‑billion‑dollar expansion to accommodate growth, with 48 million passengers using the airport in 2025.
‘Modernising Houston’s Skyway system is essential to meeting the needs of one of the fastest‑growing airports in the United States’, said Michael Keroullé, President of Alstom Americas. ‘This next‑generation APM will deliver more reliable, seamless travel for millions of passengers every year. We are proud to continue our long partnership with IAH and to help shape the future of airport mobility together.’
- The first four of 16 Innovia R peoplemover vehicles being supplied by Alstom entered service at Tampa International Airport on March 13. The manufacturer said the third-generation model is quieter, easier to maintain and more energy efficient, with improved lighting, updated video information screens and doors with obstacle- etection systems. Alstom is also installing its Urbalis Flo automatic train control system to enable an increase in service frequencies.
