Brothers John and Matine Yuksel want to make traditional people movers obsolete.
Today, their company, Beltways, moved one step closer to realizing that vision with the public debut of its modular accelerating people mover, which they hope can eventually become a primary mode of transportation for the “last mile.”
The Beltways team unveiled the “M5 Accelerator” at the newly renovated First Financial Center in downtown Cincinnati on Monday, Oct. 5.
“Many in the past envisioned cities with high-speed walkways as a primary transit, and we're really happy that over the six years we've built six generations of this M5 module to create the M5 accelerator, which is the world's smartest, safest, and fastest walkway,” John Yuksel said at the accelerator’s debut. “It is a system that is modular, sits atop the ground, installs quickly, can be as long as you want it, and each module goes a little faster and a little slower than the preceding one, depending on where it is.”
The accelerator that debuted consists of 120 feet of conjoined modular walkway assembled in just 53 hours. The walkway is made up of a connected series of smaller, independently controlled conveyor belt modules. Each module operates at a different speed, slowly ramping up as pedestrians travel along the walkway.
The walkway operates at a relatively low speed when a pedestrian first steps on, with each successive module’s conveyor belt moving slightly faster than the last. This allows the pedestrian to gradually accelerate as they continue on the walkway, instead of being shuttled along at a single, constant speed like traditional people movers commonly found at airports or convention centers.
The middle section of the walkway operates at the highest speeds. As pedestrians approach the end, each successive conveyor belt gently slows, allowing for a soft exit upon stepping off. The acceleration and deceleration are what differentiate the M5 from a traditional people mover.
In addition, the M5 can reach speeds of up to 5 mph, compared with standard moving walkways, which typically operate between 1 and 1.5 mph.
Since the walkway is modular, it can be assembled directly on top of an existing floor rather than installed in a recessed pit below ground.
Beltways was originally founded in San Francisco in 2020, before relocating to Hebron, Ky. in 2023. The move gave the young company access to a large warehouse near Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, providing the space needed to build and test its flagship walkway.
Matine Yuksel said Beltways’ long-term goal is to install its walkways in airports, convention centers and other high-traffic public spaces.
“What I'll tell you today, though, is that you're going to start to see us in airports and then other major locations, and ultimately in city centers,” he said.
Brandon Rudd, deputy director of strategic growth for the City of Cincinnati, echoed that vision, saying the city’s collaboration with Beltways has allowed Cincinnati to serve as a testing ground for a potentially transformative technology.
“Hosting this technology here at the First Financial Center places Cincinnati at the intersection of those efforts and gives our city the opportunity to demonstrate an idea with potential significance far beyond this building,” Rudd said. “Airports, convention centers, transit facilities, and other large public spaces, including all over the downtowns and neighborhoods of major cities across our country, face a similar challenge: How do you move large numbers of people efficiently, comfortably, and safely?”
Matine Yuksel said the company plans to collect feedback and data from riders during the debut and incorporate it into the next iteration of the walkway.
