Scientific American March 2021 pp20 |Transportation| “Off the Rails”. “Will trackless trams gain traction in the U.S.?
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Summary of the Article
Generally, commuters prefer smoother riding and interruption free rail than bumpy buses that are often constrained by surface traffic. Enter the rail-less buses currently functioning in China. They operate using “new technology [that] can let bus-like vehicles run on roads for a ride resembling the more popular experience of rail travel.” The self-driving buses use optical sensors that “let if follow a white line painted on the road. Its hydraulic suspension…eases jolts.” Dubbed “trackless trams” special dedicated right-away is needed but costs to achieve that are far lower than traditional rail. Joe Ciresi (State of Pennsylvania Representative), a rail commuter and former car-driving commuter, suggests “’ We do a test run, maybe five miles…and we find out if this is worth the investment.”