Transportation and the future

Book · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:5227525

The characteristics of future transportation systems will be determined mainly by the missions they have to serve and by the broad environment which they will be entering. It is concluded that America's future urban systems will probably consist of systems that will include technologically upgraded versions of existing options as well as new options like personal rapid transit or dual mode. Bus sytems to serve rural areas are developing. The passenger automobile will probably retain dominance of the transportation scene. Energy shortages may necessitate more reliance on intercity rail systems with buses serving lower density routes. After the year 2000, tracked levitated vehicles may supplant trains operating on high density routes. Energy efficient jet transports and short-range, short takeoff aircraft should be entering service in the 1980's. Supersonic, hypersonic and lighter-than-air aircraft may also have long-term applicability. Trucks will become more efficient; containerization and automated freight handling should improve their compatibility with rail and air freight systems. Nuclear power freighters and tankers may appear. New pipeline technologies are also emerging and the space shuttle will enter service in the early 1980's.

• OSTI ID: 5227525
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
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32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320200* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Transportation
AIRCRAFT
AUTOMOBILES
BUSES
COMMODITIES
ENERGY CONSERVATION
FORECASTING
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
MASS TRANSIT SYSTEMS
NORTH AMERICA
PLANNING
RURAL AREAS
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
SPACE VEHICLES
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
TRANSPORT
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
TRUCKS
URBAN AREAS
USA
VEHICLES