Tampa International Airport (TPA) has brought into service four new Innovia R APM vehicles, branded as Blue Shuttles, which will be used by passengers travelling to and from the A and C terminal areas.
The third-generation Innovia R APM model, manufactured by Alstom, is quieter, easier to maintain and more energy-efficient. The interior features enhanced lighting, updated passenger information screens and doors equipped with obstacle detection systems.
The first four Innovia R vehicles are operating as “Blue Shuttles”, providing passenger transport between the A and C terminals.
“TPA’s signature APM vehicles date back to the airport’s opening in 1971 and were the first of their kind at any airport in the world when introduced. Now, we are proud that TPA is once again leading the way as the first airport globally to deploy these brand-new shuttles, together with the advanced technology and operating system that will guide them,” said Michael Stephens, Chief Executive Officer of Tampa International Airport.
By the end of the year, APM connections to three of the airport’s four terminals will be equipped with new vehicles and an upgraded signalling system.
“Today, we are proud to mark another milestone in this decades-long partnership by introducing our latest and most advanced APM vehicles into service, designed and manufactured in the United States,” said Michael Keroullé, President and CEO of Alstom Americas.
Innovia R APM vehicles to replace ageing fleet
The new Innovia R APM vehicles will gradually replace the existing ageing fleet at Tampa International Airport, marking a major step in the airport’s modernisation programme.
In parallel, Alstom is installing its advanced Urbalis Flo automatic train control system, which will allow trains to operate at shorter intervals, increasing overall system capacity while reducing passenger waiting times. The company is also responsible for delivering the guideways, signalling infrastructure and vehicles for the future Terminal D, which is scheduled to open in 2028.
By the end of the year, APM connections serving three of the airport’s four terminals are expected to be fully upgraded with new rolling stock and a modern signalling system.
The Innovia R vehicles are being supplied under a contract covering a total of 16 next-generation cars, intended to replace the current fleet of automated people movers, which have been in service for around 30 years. These older vehicles, also built by Alstom, entered operation in the 1990s and have each accumulated more than one million miles (approximately 1.6 million kilometres).
For the time being, the older “Red Shuttles” serving tereminals A and C will continue to operate alongside the new “Blue Shuttles” until early April, helping to accommodate increased passenger volumes during the busy spring break travel period, the airport’s peak season. After that, they will be withdrawn and replaced, following the same transition approach.
All APM vehicles are manufactured at Alstom’s facility in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, close to the site where the first automated people mover systems were originally developed and tested in the 1960s.
The upgrade programme for terminals A and C, which includes guideway rehabilitation, running surfaces and the delivery of eight new vehicles along with their control and signalling systems, is valued at approximately USD 61 million. A separate project for Terminal E requires an additional four vehicles – already delivered earlier this year and currently being installed – alongside infrastructure and electrical works, bringing a further investment of around USD 30 million.
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