The Future of Transit in the News

Two recent videos point to current and futuristic transit innovations.

The first video below has been wowing viewers and inspiring future engineers while making its rounds on the web. The comments on the  Facebook page for the Turkish news outlet Mavi Kocaeli are particularly amusing. While the simulation showing a large hovering vehicle connected to a monorail certainly looks far-fetched, remember we were scoffing at driverless cars not too long ago.

The second video from the UK's The Guardian hails the improvements Japan is making to maglev technology. Last month Japan turned heads when it showcased its record-setting new train that blew past Mount Fuji during a test run at nearly 375 mph. Apparently, the folks at Guinness are being contacted. 

While earlier this year the shovels were turned on California's high-speed rail, its rollout around the country will be slow. A recent opinion piece on CCN.com provides an indepth look at where the dream of U.S. high speed rail stands.

As our urban population centers continue to grow, we're certainly rooting for successful projects that make traveling between them faster, cheaper and more sustainable.