Luton DART: Innovative Airport Transit Needs Volunteers

On March 10, the London Luton Airport released for operation a new innovative type of airport transit that is going to revolutionize the way people travel to and from Luton Airport.

Luton Rising, which is the trading name of London Luton Airport Ltd, has been working on a way to introduce a means of transportation that takes a minimal amount of time to go from the airport to the Luton Airport Parkway. Despite its high speed, the CO2 emissions of the new shuttle are substantially low.

Luton DART is a cable-drawn shuttle connecting the Luton Airport Parkway with the London Luton Airport. It transfers passengers for only 4 minutes, which is twice less than the transfer time of the currently available shuttle bus.

Luton Rising is currently recruiting volunteers to test the service to establish a flawless customer experience.

One of the first people to ride on the revolutionary new shuttle was King Charles himself while visiting Bedfordshire town on December 6.

How Does Luton DART Operate

DART stands for “Direct Air-Rail Transit”, as the new shuttle is cable drawn and passes through a line. Replacing the previous shuttle bus, Luton DART provides a much better experience for passengers before or after air travel.

The shuttle operates using an automated people mover system known as Cable Liner. The main goal of replacing old shuttle buses with people mover technology is reducing road traffic and airport transit time.

DART will be traveling from over 60 locations from Corby to Brighton.

Luton DART is not yet open for public use as some trials still need to be made before it gets official permission. It is expected to become public around the end of March 2023.

Currently, the service operates for a limited time of 4 hours per day. After it’s released for public use, it will continue to run for a limited amount of time while the passengers are asked for feedback.

When all issues are resolved and smooth transits are settled, the shuttle will be running for 24 hours.

The applications for volunteers are now open, and you can take part if you are excited about revolutionizing future airport transit in Luton, UK.

How to and Why Volunteer for Luton DART

Trials are necessary for testing different customer service cases and scenarios, ensuring that the fire and station evacuation is efficient, and making sure that the transits run smoothly.

Volunteers get to experience the role of real airport travelers, so they would have to prepare almost as if they were going on air travel in reality. Comfortable clothes are required, as well as empty suitcases and bags.

Children between 12 and 16 must be attended by parents, and children under 12 are not allowed to volunteer for tests.

If you want to participate in trials, you have to make sure you arrive on time, as participants will be chosen on the basis of “the early bird gets the worm”.

Available dates for trails are:

• Wednesday, March 15, 9 AM – 1 PM;
• March 18, Saturday, 9 AM – 1 PM.

Unfortunately, the trials are unpaid, but there will be a prize draw, so if you participate you get a chance of winning vouchers costing a total of 250 pounds.

How will the New Shuttle Benefit the Community

Statistics show that people spend on average about 45 minutes on airport transfer after they arrive at Luton Airport depending on what location they are traveling to. The airport in Luton is actually considered one of the most inconvenient ones regarding transportation to other locations around Luton.

The DART shuttle decreases transit time by half compared to the traditional bus shuttle, which the public agrees has been frustrating and exhausting. Thanks to the revolutionary technology of the DART shuttle, a 32-minute trip from St Pancras, Central London, to Luton Airport is now possible.

Time spent on airport transfer is expected to drop at least by half, substantially lowering passenger discomfort.

The general opinion is that the price of the tickets is worth the convenience passengers are getting from the service. Luton residents will even be able to use the shuttle for half the price. Passengers with the Older Person Bus Pass will be able to travel with DART for free.

Luton DART is also expected to lower carbon emissions, noise and air pollution by at least 43%.

The project is part of Luton Rising’s strategy for sustainable development and the goal of decreasing the environmental impact of airports and air travel. The goal is by 2024 Luton to be a carbon-neutral city.

What are Other Currently Available Methods of Airport Transfer

Luton Airport Parkway is the main rail station in Luton and it’s the nearest connection from the airport to any other part of town. It’s situated about a mile away from the airport, and it provides a direct connection to central London.

There are a few ways to transfer between Luton Airport Parkway and the airport. Till now, passengers who preferred using public transportation only had the option to take the shuttle bus, which was taking longer to arrive and cross the distance.

Other more convenient options include renting a car or traveling by taxi. Many airport passengers report having negative experiences with taking a taxi from the airport, as they are usually significantly overpriced.

Gradually, the public realized that they don’t have to be obliged to pay whatever price the taxi provider states because, in fact, there are other options available. The number of companies that provide private airport taxi services with pre-booking is on the rise.

A study conducted by Future Market Insights shows that between 2022 and 2031 the airport taxi business will be growing at an annual rate of 23.6%.

Pre-booking your taxi transfer with a company like AirportTaxiExpress.co.uk is a much more affordable alternative to getting a cab in front of the airport, which is why more passengers now prefer these types of services to other means of transportation.

The fact that under 20% of people prefer public transportation to booking an airport taxi is one of the reasons why Luton Rising put in immense effort in improving the passenger experience by rail.