[LINK] eHighways & electric planes

[Tom Worthington]

On 23/06/16 09:28, Marghanita da Cruz wrote:

> The eHighway system is a low-emission solution ...

Long distance freight can be efficiently transported by rail, then moved 
to a truck at an "intermodal" terminal for local delivery.

Electric buses are more viable. I remember, as a child, traveling on 
electric trolleybuses in Brisbane. In 2014 I took one from the center of 
Vancouver to the University of British Colombia: 
http://blog.tomw.net.au/2014/08/vancouver-from-17th-floor.html

Trolley buses require more complex overhead wiring that trams, but they 
do have the advantage they can maneuver, to a limited extent, in traffic.

Battery technology has reached the point where it would be feasible to 
use electric buses, without the need for overhead wires. However, if the 
electricity is from fossil fuel power stations, there is no great 
environmental advantage over using compressed natural gas (CNG) buses.

For Canberra's next transit project, I have suggested a busway using CNG 
hybrid buses, rather than trams:
http://blog.tomw.net.au/2015/02/canberra-metro-needs-land-planning-bus.html

In 2006 the ACT Government looked at the option of a tram from the north 
western satellite town of Belconnen to the center of Canberra. I, not 
entirely seriously, proposed an "Electric Highway": 
http://www.tomw.net.au/technology/transport/highway.shtml

What was implemented was a conventional bus-way: 
http://www.tomw.net.au/technology/transport/transitway.shtml

To get this discussion on-topic for Link, I suggest IT can be used to 
make "public" transport more usable and environmentally benign. As an 
example, an Uber-like social transport planner could combine the 
features of taxis and buses. With this you would indicate where you 
would like to go, when and how flexible you are as to time and cost. You 
would then be offered the usual options of a dedicated car with driver 
(expensive and quicker) or an ordinary bus (slow but cheap). But there 
could also be options in-between: a car with driver shared with three 
people in your social group, or a mini-bus with six people who you don't 
know, but the system vouches for. The more willing you are to travel 
with strangers, the cheaper, and sooner, would be the ride.

Taxis have multi-ride rates and in the past, in busy periods at 
Canberra airport, a taxi company wrangler would shout to the queue: 
"Anyone for Belconnen?".


-- 
Tom Worthington FACS CP, TomW Communications Pty Ltd. t: 0419496150
The Higher Education Whisperer http://blog.highereducationwhisperer.com/
PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617, Australia  http://www.tomw.net.au
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Adjunct Lecturer, Research School of Computer Science, College of 
Engineering & Computer Science, Australian National University
http://people.cecs.anu.edu.au/user/3890 http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4799-8464