LOWERING THE COST OF APM SOLUTIONS

The cost of APMs as a solution to transportation needs has been steadily increasing over the years. Many private developers and small to mid-size airports cannot afford to include APMs in their transportation plans. Instead moving walks and long pedestrian ways are constructed to facilitate pedestrian movement through major activity centers. The unwillingness of the market to undertake the historical high cost of utilizing APMs has caused the APM market to shrivel as opposed to many predictions. There are several ways to reduce the cost of installing an APM as well as reducing the costs associated with operations, maintenance, and expansion. The first is to increase the amount of competition for a given project; the second is to consider using a lower cost APM technology; and the third involves a changing of the industry philosophy from the complete proprietary system to smaller, more manageable proprietary subsystem procurement. This paper focuses on the means in which these methods of lowering APM costs can be accomplished.