Technology Transportation and Society Then Now and the Near Future

Technology, Transportation, and Society - Then, Now and the Near Future

Technology, transportation and society are three areas that are interlinked. Technology determines what transportation will exist. The transportation that exists determines how we will live and the nature of our society also determines what transportation is created.

Transportation systems have developed considerably in the last century, giving us the society we currently have. The major development in the last few decades is in technology, with this likely to have a significant impact on future transportation systems.

The current transportation systems have also resulted in several problems, mostly related to environmental and quality of life issues. An understanding of these problems is likely to result in better planning and application of future transportation systems.

To look into the future of transportation, it is necessary to first look back at the history of transportation. By looking at where transportation has evolved from, it is possible to predict how it will continue to evolve in the future.

Brief History of Transportation

The transportation of today does not exist on its own, but as part of a timeline of constant evolution, where every new development improves upon the last. The automobile of today that everyone is familiar with would not exist without the invention of the wheel and the electric motor.

By looking at the history of transportation it is possible to see how our current transportation systems have evolved. This also offers clues that can be used to look into the future and predict how transportation will continue to evolve.

The development of transportation includes four specific areas: wheeled vehicles, ships, rail, and air transport. Put more simply, there are four ways of travelling: by land, by sea, by train and by plane. The development of each of these areas will now be discussed in turn.

Travelling by Land - Wheeled Vehicles

The history of travelling by land begins not with the development of vehicles, but with the development of roads.

Ancient civilizations needed to transport materials and to travel between different townships. This need resulted in the development of both roads and bridges.

The earliest of these roads date back to around 3500 BC and were built by the Sumerians. The Chinese were the first to construct a permanent road system around 1000 BC.

The Romans also built significant road structures, with around 53,000 miles of roads built throughout their empire (Encyclopedia.com, 2002).

The second major development after the roads was the development of two-wheeled carts, which were developed by the Sumerians around 3000 BC. This was followed by the four-wheel chariots developed by the Egyptians and Greeks.

This was the precursor for the carriages that later became the major mode of transport.

Roads and horses and carts remained much the same until the twentieth century, when the internal combustion engine allowed for the development of automobiles, which completely replaced the horse and cart.

The popularity of automobiles also changed roads, causing them to evolve in line with the new transport. While dirt roads were sufficient for horse and carts, automobiles required a more durable form. Concrete roads were the result with the first concrete road in the United States built in Detroit in 1908 (Seitz, 2001).

During the 1930's highways began to be created including the German Autobahn. In the United States, turnpikes were created and by 1980 the Federal Interstate Highway was completed (Seitz, 2001).

These developments have led to our current technology, with complex permanent road systems, highly developed vehicles and a society that exists with automobile transport the major means of personal travel.

Travelling by Sea - Shipping Transport

Transport by water dates back to ancient civilizations and is one of the first forms of transport. Ancient civilizations with little other means of transport needed to live in close proximity to water, usually a river.

Without mechanical or electrical devices, a river is an excellent means of transportation. Canoes and transport vessels date as far back as 6300 BC.

Vessels for sailing the sea used the wind as a natural source of power. In the days before electricity, this was one of the few easy sources of power.

It was the later development of the steam engine that caused the greatest change in shipping. Steamships replaced sailing ships, with the steamships having greater power and being safer, faster and able to carry more cargo (Seitz, 2001). This allowed for greater travel and increased trade. Further developments then continued as diesel power replaced steam.

Travelling by Train - Rail Transport

Rail transport began in 1825 in England when the first steam train began to operate (Seitz, 2001). By 1893 trains were able to move at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour (Seitz, 2001).

One of the major benefits of the steam train was its ability to carry heavy loads. This reduced the need of a waterway for transport and made townships away from waterways possible.

By 1900 passenger trains were comfortable means of travel, including having dining cars and heating. Passenger trains replaced stagecoaches because of their speed and their comfort (Seitz, 2001).

Travelling by Plane - Air Transport

The most recent development is the creation of air travel.

Travel by plane began in 1903 with the Wright brother's first flight. World war I caused it to be developed rapidly. World War II resulted in further development of the plane with the first jet aircraft created (Seitz, 2001).

Commercial aircraft began to be created after World War II with travel by plane becoming increasingly common. By the end of the twentieth century travel by plane has largely replaced travel by train, with air travel used for passenger transport, freight transport and as weapons of war.

The Transportation of Today

Travelling by Land - Wheeled Vehicles

Today, travel by land is a significant and accepted part of everyday life. The majority of individuals travel by car frequently. Similar vehicles such as buses and motorcycles are just as common. Society itself is based on automobile transport with travel by car the major means of individual transport.

This also results in the structure of society, with complex systems of roads required. This includes not only the roads but also the features required such as traffic lights and stop signs. In addition, there is a complex system of bureaucracy and regulations that support the transport system. Road rules are developed to assist in ensuring safety on the roads. Government departments and police are required to ensure the rules are followed.

Travelling by Sea - Shipping Transport

Travelling by sea takes several modern forms and for several purposes. Shipping continues to be the major means of transporting goods between nations, with international trade higher at this time than at any other time in history.

Fewer individuals travel by ship with planes the quicker method. Travel by boat then becomes a recreational activity, where individuals travel on cruise holidays and also engage in water sports.

Military travel by ship continues to be common, including both ships and submarines.

Travelling by Train - Rail Transport

Travel by train is still used as a form of public transport for transporting individuals and also for transporting freight. However, this has become a less used method, with planes and automobiles more popular.

Travel by train has also developed and adapted to modern society. With the traffic congestion of many cities a problem, train services have developed into tram and monorail services. These public transport systems provide transport between key locations while avoiding the problems of traffic congestion.

Travelling by Plane - Air Transport

Travel by plane has become a popular and convenient means of travel. Individuals are able to travel between distant locations quickly, conveniently and at low cost. Travel is also largely used to transport both mail and freight.

Air transport has also changed the nature of warfare. Aircraft are able to cause destruction on major levels, with the creation of aircraft allowing for a whole new range of weapons to be developed.

The Effect of Transport on Society

Transport has a major effect on society in many ways. Transport becomes a part of society and determines how we live our lives. This is a two-way process where transport adapts to society and society also adapts to transport.

For example, the growing population means that cities grow. These growing cities need better means of transport to move people from one side to the other. To allow this to happen, buses and tram systems are developed.

This is an example of how transport adapts to changing society.

The process then continues as the tram or bus systems allows individuals to live further from resources but still have access to them. With this ability, people move further from the city. This is an example of society adapting to transport.

This example illustrates the link between society and transport where each impacts on the other. Several of the specific areas that transport affects will now be discussed in turn.

Economy

Firstly, it must be recognized that transportation systems have a major effect on the economy. All of the transportation methods consume fossil fuels, each linked directly to oil. The price of oil fluctuates, with oil prices capable of affecting all other areas of the economy. A rise in oil prices means businesses raise their prices to absorb the increased price of transporting their goods. This in turn means a higher price for the consumer. Transportation then, becomes a basic factor in determining the state of the economy.

The economy relies so greatly on oil prices and oil companies have so much power, there are even theories that alternative fuel and power systems could be developed but are being repressed.

Eisen (1991, p. 408) describes this suppression arguing that alternative energy systems could be developed but are not because of the power of the oil companies, power and petroleum companies have been resolute in their denial that alternate energy resources exist. When faced with irrefutable proof, they have been even more resolute in their efforts to suppress devices that would allow us to harness this energy. The power of these corporations is such that today, neither free energy nor hydrogen have a place in a world reliant on fossil fuels."

Business

The world of business is affected by developments in transport and also contributes significantly to the developments.

To consider the impact business has had on transport, one can consider the number of companies involved in the transport industry and what they have achieved.

Boeing has made air travel a convenient option for any traveller. Without Boeing, commercial aircraft would not exist as they do today. Greyhound achieved similar results with bus travel, making bus travel a feasible option. FedEx have used transport systems to supply a reliable next-day delivery service. And Ford and many other car companies have produced wide ranges of vehicles types. Without these companies developing the technology and the products, transport systems would not be what they are today.

Secondly, we can look at how transport systems have impacted on all businesses. The convenience of shipping and air travel has meant that businesses can export their products and expand their businesses. This has resulted in a business environment where international business is becoming common. This refers not only to companies sending their products overseas, but also companies having offices and manufacturing facilities all over the world. It is the transport systems for both people and freight that make this possible. This has resulted in our current business environment where international business is common and more businesses are becoming multinationals (Ball & McCulloch, 1999).

Culture

Culture is so affected by transport that urban culture is called 'the automobile culture' and the automobile is described as "the ubiquitous means of local and interregional travel" (Fellman, Getis & Getis, 1996, p. 240).

The automobile culture refers to the uniformity of different areas, for example two cities having the same hotel chain and the same restaurant chain. This uniformity is based on having standardized facilities. This is closely related to the car as a common means of transport, as the uniformity is designed to attract travellers from different areas. This also means that the standardized facilities are grouped along highways. The overall effect is that "the public face of town and highway is everywhere the same" (Fellman et al., p. 240).

This same concept is also applied to urban life. With travel by vehicle an expected part of urban life, similar activities become grouped together, as a means of convenience to consumers. For example, shops are rarely scattered throughout a particular suburb or city. Instead they are grouped together into shopping malls. Shoppers then travel to all the shops.

This is also related to the use of public transport, with public transport leading to a specific destination. This grouping of items is true of shopping malls and also of restaurant strips, workplaces and even schools. The basic cultural effect of modern transport systems is to create certain places where people live and certain places where people go, grouping everything into sections.

Another cultural effect of travel is to break down cultural barriers. This is mostly related to the plane, which allows easy travel between countries. Richard Potts describes this effect saying, "we now meet other people anywhere in the world in less than a day's travel. Thus things foreign and strange have become familiar" (Brockman, 2000, p. 38).

Environment final consideration is the effect transportation systems have on the environment.

A report by the Federal Railroad Administration (2000) compiles information on all the environmental concerns related to transportation systems. These concerns include air pollution, noise pollution, oil pollution, hazardous materials, land use issues, water pollution and energy issues. This extensive list effectively communicates the many environmental concerns associated with transportation systems.

Alternate Forms of Transport

Alternate forms of transport focus primarily on the urban situation. While planes and ships are continuing to develop, the focus is on aspects such as increasing speed and comfort, not on new technologies.

It is the automobile that is undergoing the most change, with many new technologies seeking ways to replace the automobile and its associated problems. These problems include traffic congestion, traffic accidents, safety concerns, air pollution and noise pollution.

There are a range of new concepts, each one designed to maintain the convenience of the automobile, while removing the negative aspects. Some of these concepts focus on ways to increase mass transport, however the majority focus on ways to allow individuals to travel.

New Developments in Transport

Automated Highway Systems

Automated Highway Systems, as the name suggests, are systems where vehicles drive themselves. This involves the combination of some kind of rail system and computer technology.

Richard Bishop (2001) describes a successful trial program of an Automated Highway System carried out in 1997 in California.

The program involved 20 fully automated vehicles and the trial was successful. However, in 1998 the development program was halted, with the reasons cited as budget pressures.

Since then, the interest in automated systems has grown with a number of initiatives started, each looking at different forms of automated systems and several new technologies developing from this.

Maglev

Magnetic levitation, or Maglev, is a new technology that uses magnetic forces to lift and propel a vehicle over a guideway (Washington University, 2002). The lack of physical contact between the vehicle and the guideway means that speeds of up to 300 miles per hour can be reached, around two times faster than the fastest current rail services (Washington University, 2002).

This new technology is expected to be a suitable alternative to automobiles and to national flights.

Development of Maglev systems are underway in Germany, China, Japan and the United States.

The United States Urban Magnetic Levitation Transit Technology Development program began in 1999. This program is designed to develop the required technology. The first stage, completed in 2000, involved giving a funding grant to a corporation to develop the technology. In 2001 two potential locations for building a Maglev were selected, Pennsylvania and Maryland. The final stage is to complete a thorough assessment of each potential location and then to provide the funding for the Maglev to be built (Washington University, 2002).

Jpods

Jpods are a new technology designed to eliminate the problems of urban transport systems.

Jpods are defined as "the integration of Distributed Networks, Intelligent Controls, Materials Handling and Bicycle Technologies to replace commuter traffic" (James Integrated Technologies, 2002).

Jpods are electrically driven vehicles that travel on tracks. They are programmed to a destination and automatically drive there. They are designed to transport single individuals (James Integrated Technologies, 2002).

Dualmode Transportation Systems

The ideas of dualmode transportation systems have been around for decades. Dualmode systems are an idea that combines the personal convenience of conventional vehicles in urban living, while removing the associated pollution and traffic congestion problems.

A dualmode vehicle is defined as "one which travels under manual control on the street network for some portion of its trip, and operates under automatic control on an exclusive guide way for some other portion" (Benjamin, 1973).

This combination allows for lower density travelling and also for high density travelling between popular destinations. The guideway system also means travellers will be safe even when travelling in high volumes of traffic and at high speed. In addition, these can be designed to produce much less noise and air pollution than conventional vehicles (Benjamin, 1973).

Area Personal Transit (APT)

Area Personal Transit, or APT, is most often describes as a horizontal elevator. The concept was first developed by Ben Carpenter and has since been developed and integrated into a planned community known as Las Colinas in Texas.

The community incorporates a people mover that replaces the need for urban transport. Currently, the transport system has only completed phase I, with three more phases to be completed that will provide for a complete people-moving service (Bourland, 2001).

This APT system has generated some interest in producing other similar ones. The problem associated with this is that Las Colinas was built specifically for a complete APT system. Other urban locations are not designed to incorporate such a structure.

Societal Shifts and Trends in Transportation

Trends in transportation continue in the same direction they have in the past with a focus on increasing speed.

One of the major societal shifts that effects transportation is the shift towards a technology and computer-based society. This reliance on technology is resulting in the development of new systems that take the human factor out of travel and replace it with computer technology.

The majority of new developments in travel are self-driven transport systems that do not require a human driver. This is a social shift but one which begins in the past. For example, planes have autopilot and elevators do not require a driver. The new computing technology simply allows these automatic systems to be applied to new areas.

The new technology is also based on society as an urban environment. This societal shift towards city living has occurred and in response to it, transportation systems need to develop to allow city living to be sustained. It is likely that in turn, improved urban transportation systems will further increase the popularity of city living.