What Is a “Mid-Size” Transit System, Really?

Did you know there's a category of

public transportation known as

"mid-size" transit systems? These

systems support our daily lives through

commuting, school travel, and more.

In the transportation world, heavy rail

handles large passenger volumes,

while buses manage smaller-scale

demand. Medium-capacity systems like

AGT are positioned right in the

middle. Other systems in this category

include monorails and light rail transit

(LRT).

In Japan, eight AGT lines serve a

combined total of about 500,000

passengers daily, excluding two

smaller-scale lines: the Yūkarigaoka

Line and the Seibu Yamaguchi Line.

The Yurikamome Line carries around

120,000 passengers each day.

On average, each AGT line

accommodates approximately 63,000

riders daily—a level of demand too

high for buses but too low for heavy

rail. AGT fits this sweet spot perfectly.

One of AGT's defining features is that

it operates without drivers. This allows

for greater flexibility and significantly

lower operating costs. As a result,

many AGT lines in Japan turn a profit

within a single fiscal year.

This is in sharp contrast to similarly

sized conventional rail lines, such as

the Tobu Nikko Line, the Seibu

Tamako Line, the Imazatosuji Line,

and the Kobe Kaigan Line, which

continue to struggle with profitability

despite serving similar levels of

ridership.

Stay tuned for the next AGT Blog!