High-Tech Gondolas Could Change How We Get Around DFW

DALLAS-FORT WORTH, Texas -- What if your next commute across the Dallas-Fort Worth area involved hopping into a high-tech gondola and cruising above the traffic? It may sound like something from the future, but the idea of bringing autonomous gondolas to DFW has actually been explored, and the technology behind them is pretty fascinating. There is talk of possibly building high-tech gondolas in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, area in the future.

So, would you ride in one of these?

We've been hearing and reading about different possibilities for alternative public transport options in the headlines. Of course, when we think about where we'd be most likely to see any of these transportation options, we typically think they'll be built in Los Angeles or New York first. But actually, with the massive influx of new people into Texas, specifically into our bigger cities, we might be surprised.

And when it comes to newer transportation options, we've heard rumors about Elon Musk building a subway in Los Angeles or mini-copters that would occupy lower airspace in our cities, kind of like "air taxis," if you will. And we may yet see those options come to fruition. But gondolas? Hm. That idea hadn't crossed my mind, to be honest.

So, what's the deal with these high-tech gondolas they're considering bringing to DFW?

I don't know about you, but when I hear the word gondola, I imagine serenading Venetian men in striped shirts and brimmed hats carrying people gently through the watery passages of Venice, Italy. No, that's not what we're talking about here.

These Aren't Your Typical Gondolas

According to a report from WFAA back in 2023, a company called Swyft Cities describes their high-tech gondolas as "self-propelled, unlike traditional gondolas, with advanced guidance systems, which the company says leads to faster trips.

How Would High-Tech Gondolas Work in DFW?

The company says their gondolas combine an autonomous cabin with lightweight, fixed cable infrastructures that move passengers at a lower cost and with fewer carbon emissions than traditional transportation alternatives."

Well, that sounds both eco-friendly and cost-effective. Not to mention they look pretty dang swanky. A promotional video created for Swyft Cities that was shared by WFAA makes the swank factor very clear. Take a look:

Could DFW Actually Get Gondolas?

OK, so when are they taking the next steps toward bringing this project to life in the Fort Worth and Dallas, Texas area? Actually, WFAA had this to share about the next steps back in 2023, and as far as we know, they are still in the exploratory phase:

"The Regional Transportation Council for North Texas will invite cities next week to pick their most congested areas for the autonomous gondolas to be built. These cities and the RTC will then work together to determine where in DFW the first Swyft Cities project will be built."

Hmm. I think I would be pretty comfortable riding in one of these--both literally and figuratively. Granted, they won't have the romance factor of the more traditional gondola we likely think of when we imagine Italian men singing to us as we float through the watery canals of Venice. Then again, those probably wouldn't help ease the burgeoning traffic situation in DFW.

But it's a lovely thought, no?

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