AGT: A Cost-Effective Way to Reduce Travel Time and Ensure Punctuality

When I started high school, I commuted

by bus. I still remember the frustration

of buses passing by without stopping

due to overcrowding or getting caught

in traffic jams after accidents—many

times I was on the verge of being late.

Everything changed in my senior year

when a new subway line opened. My

commute time was cut by more than

half, and for the first time, I experienced

the comfort of arriving on time every

day. No more traffic jams. It was then

that I truly realized how vital punctuality

can be in daily life.

However, building a subway requires an

enormous investment. Since the

1990s, the pace of subway

construction in Japan has slowed

significantly. Yet, the need to upgrade

bus routes to more reliable modes of

transport has not disappeared.

That’s where AGT (Automated

Guideway Transit) comes in—a new

solution that offers reduced travel times

and reliable operation at a lower cost.

For example, the bus route along

Okubashi-dori connecting Nippori and

Minumadai used to suffer from severe

traffic congestion. But that changed

with the introduction of the fully

automated, driverless Nippori-Toneri

Liner AGT system. The congestion

issue was effectively resolved.

Moreover, AGT significantly reduces

not only construction costs but also

daily operating expenses. One major

advantage is that no drivers are needed

, which leads to substantial savings in

labor costs.