Technologies in Transportation, More Fuel for the Fire

Rising Fuel prices and EPA sulfur laws to beessays. I see some in Aviation Week and Space
introduced in 2006 will shake up the transportationTechnology, Popular Mechanics, Scientific American,
industry as they work to cut costs. Yellow-Roadwayyet all these are too specific to a given subject with
already has partnered with a Chinese company asauthors who are industry experts in only one or two
they see the writing on the walls here in the states.fields. Tomorrow is sooner than you think and
Where will the industry cut costs? Well you could cutHydrogen Cell Cars, Trucks? Four maybe five years
out the drivers? They are the second largest costaway; they have many advantages besides fuel costs;
next to fuel?Trucks cannot drive by themselves yet.they are easier to keep clean due to the dirt is more
Railroads also hurt and the tonnage will require moredusty than sticky, requiring less soap, again good for
engines with less power. We have the technology tothe environment.If Sulfur left out of gas drives costs of
use air-cushioned rail cars with high speeds and littletrucking companies and transportation companies up,
power needed due to reduced friction and that willthen we will all pay more for everything. We will have
require little fuel. Hydrogen celled Trains? Yes easylittle chance for a continued high-flying economic run.
with air-cushioned technologies. But who is going toSpeaking of which, I do not care one-way or the other.
pay for it? If we destroy our transportation sectorWe do better in a down economy anyway. But there
through immediate retrofitting then how will theis that quality of life issue so important to our middle
industries leaders pay for all the costs associated withclass anomaly. If this continues we will have a breaking
the recent paper-swap mergers, and who will getdown of the middle class and no market to sell to for
burned; The Fishes, stockholders owning worthlessour economic power base and corporations. Yes we
paper.Automated trains, they are coming. Automatedwill have a weak dollar, but this is no way to achieve it.
aircraft? Yes that too, the new jet airliners nearly flySure we can make stuff and sell it all over the world,
themselves in 0/0 visibility from V-1, V-2 to decelerationbut how can we match productivity of 3.5 billion
on the runway upon landing and the Navy has jetChinese once that machine is using all our technologies
fighters that can deliver ordinance and fly home, bombin manufacturing; all our accounting methods, and
without seeing, fly without training or fatigue. Trucksaccepting our currency for payments; our education
maybe that too. Could be twelve to fifteen years.system, techniques? And what about an economic
Trains could be less than 6. Aircraft 10-15. People aremachine, which becomes war based over there? Of
not needed, yet the quality of life issues are at stakecourse if they have us as their biggest market then
here, yet who is looking forward? I see no articles inthey cannot start a war with us, otherwise their
financial papers, economic papers, magazines, andeconomy crashes too.