FIFTH ELEMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

The reality about transportation is that it's future-oriented. If we're planning for what we have, we're behind the curve. - Anthony Fox ( American politician) 

We have always witnessed four elements of transportation. The four elements being vehicles on road, trains/trams on tracks, ferries/ships in sea and by planes in air. Today we have reached a stage where technology knows no bounds. Affordable and powerful electric cars are being introduced by car companies to reduce the effect of combustion engine on the environment. The innovations are second to none but by doing so we are going to add misery to the existing traffic issues in urban areas. What we need is a system which is cheap but also moves large number of people without harming the environment. A system where people denounce the use of cars use public transport.

As seen in the video below Chinese engineers have designed an electric straddle bus that carries 300 passengers at a time. It runs on power and is completely sustainable. It is elevated which means it allows cars to flow underneath. This could be a possible solution for the future. If engineered to the context, Anzac parade has a ready solution. Also save some trees in the process. 

Chinese Straddling Bus

Another hi tech and a definitive fifth element of transportation is hyperloop. It is still under its prototyping stage. It is a sustainable mode of mass transport. When built, it will revolutionise the way we live. One could possibly travel cities in matter of minutes. There are many critics of this technology but Elon Musk, the man behind the idea of Hyperloop is confident that this technology can see the light of day. 

Hyperloop

To resolve any issue, the solutions must tick the boxes of societal comfort, zero environmental effects and low cost.  Thankfully these technologies tick all the three boxes mentioned above. It can move people faster than today, the technology runs on renewable source of energy and is low cost compared to trains/subways of today. Also running on renewable source of energy means the ticket prices could as be as low.