Why Call it Gondola Project?

Firstly, introducing a standardized term such as Cable-Propelled Transit is difficult. While the term has some uptake in industrial and academic circles, it is by no means a commonly known term. Calling it CPT Project would doom the site to failure right from the beginning. Sometimes we have to be marketers even if we don’t want to be.

Secondly, our anecdotal experience suggests that one of the most commonly known terms used to refer to CPT is Gondola. It made sense, we thought, to use this word so that people can have a first encounter with the site on their terms rather than on technical terms.

Not incidentally, the second most commonly used reference to CPT seems to be Cable Car. If you prefer to, feel free to access this site using www.cablecarproject.com. We took care of that one, too.

Thirdly, almost every transit technology has its share of nicknames. For example, Heavy Rail Transit (HRT) is commonly called subway, underground or metro. Light Rail Transit (LRT), meanwhile, is commonly called a tram, streetcar or trolley.

We feel it’s important to be technical but not to the extent that it ignores the common language of the general public. After all, we plan for the general public and should engage in language they intuitively understand. So while we strive to utilize proper terminology, if you choose to reach out to us to discuss an idea or project you might be contemplating, don’t worry about terminology; we’ll know what you’re saying.