GLT and similar competing technologies such as Translohr are often described as the tram equivalent of rubber-tyred metro technology, but this is not strictly accurate; while the GLT follows a central rail, the rail does not support the vehicle, and the actual wheels which do are as independent as those of a regular bus. The wheels of rubber-tyred metros, on the other hand, are bound and guided by their rails in the same way as are steel-wheeled trains.
With two articulation points and a total length of 24.5 metres, GLT vehicles are s ...
The GLT systems in place have experienced some mechanical problems which, though they have largely been resolved, have discouraged some other cities from adopting the technology. [1] The vehicles have shown a tendency to move erratically when running free, and do not respond well should the driver mistakenly attempt to steer while following the guidance rail (for example, to avoid a jaywalking pedestrian or an animal running into the street).
Critics of the system also point out that unlike a conventional tramway, GLT is a proprietary ...
While the GLT’s central guidance rail is not significantly less expensive than the rails need by regular trams, the overall system can be installed at a lower cost since existing trolleybus wires can be used without the installation of tracks, and not all new sections need have rails or electric wires installed; even if the entire route is equipped with guidance rails and wires, as in Caen, the depot need not be located immediately by the track, saving planners from having to find space for a new y ...
