A German engineer has developed small, individually-powered rail cars which he hopes to put into use on the country's old railroad tracks. The systems is a new fusion of trains and taxis, operating automatically for on-call use by small groups.
"In the past, developments in public transportation often focused on the expensive train transportation -- traditional passenger trains, high-speed rail and magnetic levitation trains that move the masses. But Railcab is part of a new trend of developing relatively fast, highly efficient and cost-effective individual transportation systems that could radically change the way we travel in the future."
"In inventor Joachim Lückel's brave new world, there is neither a control center for the cars nor a fixed schedule. That's too old fashioned. Instead, the customer calls, and the next available vehicle rolls up, ready for service in the way we use taxis today. And the journey continues towards its goal, without any stops or changes of train."
FULL STORY: German Company Engineers Driverless Taxi
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?
In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving
Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.
Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan
Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.
Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding
The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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