Transport On Demand

SA firm sees potential for elevated-track solution in everything mining to public transport.

- Irma Venter

South African company Milotek  will later this year start construction of a fractional rapid transit (FRT) system at a private coal mine in Mpumalanga.

Milotek director and inventor Andries Louw believes this system will revolutionise the way goods are moved in the mining industry and also, eventually, in a number of adjacent industries.

Another iteration of the same technology – podcars, or personal rapid transit (PRT), through the company Futran Podcars – may also change the face of public transport in South Africa, he says.

Louw’s faith in the transport system has been underwritten by the construction of a test track near Brits, where he showcases the technology through the backing of some heavy hitters, such as Imperial Group, which is the majority shareholder in Milotek.

The company’s ownership structure may change soon, however, with a black-economic-empowerment (BEE) company in line for a 30% share of the Milotek business.

How It Works 

The FRT system uses an elevated track network with switches that have no moving parts, from which moving stock – as opposed to rolling stock on rail tracks – is suspended.

The FRT system is designed to transport a range of pod types, carrying loads of between a few hundred kilograms and 20 t, all using the same track type and motorised units.