Monday, June 18, 2012

Modes Of Transport Over Time

By Byron Jonas


When man first evolved, our main modes of transport was walking and running, but as our intelligence grew, we gradually learned how to use other animals to transport us around quicker, for example horseback. As we became technologically advanced, we gradually learned how to use mechanical means of transport to move us much greater distances.

Only a few generations ago, it was quite usual for many people to only ever stay in their local area. As technology has advanced across the years, we have quickly developed new transportation to take us to other parts of our country, and even explore new continents across the world.

In many countries the train became the first mass transportation system of people hundreds of miles. This opened up many opportunities for people to spend vacations by the coast, or even to move further away from relatives in search of work. Rail travel is still a vital means of transportation in many parts of the world.

With the pressure on governments to improve their carbon emission targets, and the scarcity of fossil fuels predicted for the future, rail travel seems likely to make a strong comeback. Some cities have also started reintroducing tram systems, many of which had not been seen for over 100 years, to move their citizens more easily.

The main dominating mass transportation system in the modern age is air travel. At any one time it is estimated that over a quarter of a million people are in the skies over the United States. International traffic is a major source of profit for all airlines. At the busiest part of the day, a flight is departing on the New York to London route every 15 min.

For the last hundred years, the automobile has played a major part in most economies throughout the world. The car has given citizens the opportunity to move further away from cities, and live in quiet suburbs. As well as moving to new locations, the automobile has also given people greater freedom to explore their region and country without any timetables being forced on them. However, with the rapid depletion of fossil fuel and low carbon emission targets, it seems possible that people may have to return to other forms of transportation in the future.

Transport has changed beyond recognition throughout every generation's lifetime. When we take a flight today and travel at 500 mph, this would have seemed science fiction to people living 100 years ago. With commercial sightseeing trips planned to the edge of space in the next few years, it is hard to imagine the different modes of transport that might be available in the next hundred years.




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