Extensive interviews were held with participants in and observers of the automated transportation systems planning processes carried out in Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles, and St. Paul while each of these cities was participating in the Downtown People Mover Demonstration Program (1975-1981). The purpose of these interviews was to document in detail the specific institutional, political, economic, and technical factors that were addressed and ultimately influenced each city's decision whether or not to continue in the demonstration program. Of particular interest were the factors that were unique to a new automated technology as opposed to factors that might be confronted by any large capital project. The results of this analysis can be used by the federal government in shaping new initiatives (irrespective of whether they are oriented to new technologies) and by local planners to a id in understanding the types of factors, nontechnical as well as technical, that must be faced in similar future projects.

In 1976 UMTA selected six cities to participate in the Downtown People Mover (DPM) Demonstration Program. TWo of these cities--Detroit and Miami--were encouraged to consider using UMTA funds previouoly committed to fixed guideway systems to build downtown circulator systems. Four other cities--Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles, and St. Paul--were declared eligible for newly committed federal funds to cover 80 percent of the cost of designing and imple-