Will the Maglev Ever Run?

• What is the purpose of the Maglev?
• Is my money going toward something that does not work?
• Will we ever be able to ride it?
• Why is the Maglev not working?

A. Why do we have the Maglev?

• A private company presented Old Dominion with the opportunity to place the MagLev on campus and the company agreed to remove it at their own expense should it not work. Financial and technical difficulties arose. The company had a hard time financing the project.

B. Why is the Maglev not working?

• After testing the transportation system, it has been reported that there are problems with ride quality.

C. What is being done to fix it?

• The Maglev currently belongs to the University and is being considered a research project. Faculty and students from the Engineering department have been working out the technical kinks.

D. Is my tuition money funding this research project?

• The project is being funded by a federal grant. The grant has been extended until next Spring.

E. Do we really need the Maglev and how will it benefit the University overall?

• If all works out, the MagLev will give ODU the opportunity to offer, “inexpensive transportation which is environmentally friendly, quiet and which does not encroach on existing roads. This experiment is not just to provide transportation across the campus but to contribute a solution to the major transportation problems of the world” (President Roseann Runte)