http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/02/3d-express-coach-pictures_n_667452.html#s122514
Picture: China may have found an environmentally friendly way to save money while easing traffic - "3D Express Coach"
Summary: The "3D Express Coach" or the "Straddling bus" looks like a subway...But hollow? This bus has 2 levels. The level on top holds passengers and the bottom level allows cars less than 2 meters to travel underneath. This bus is powered by electricity and Solar energy and can speed up to 60 km/h! While carrying 1200-1400 passengers at a time. One thing that makes this bus unique, you will never get stuck behind it, you can just go through! This bus is said to reduce traffic jams by 20-30%. Unfortunately this bus costs about 500 million yuan to build which is about 78,478,000 dollars. The expense comes to more than that after building the miles of track that the bus will run through.
Opinion/Reflection: I think this bus is a really cool idea waiting to happen! Not only does it use solar energy, it frees up traffic and the tickets that people buy provide more money for the government! This will be extremely expensive but I think it will benefit in the long run. Like in 20 years! I think the coolest part of this invention would be the fact that the cars can pass through underneath.
To see more pictures, click on this link:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/02/3d-express-coach-pictures_n_667452.html#s122514
Question 1: Do you think that this invention would benefit society?
Question 2: Could this possibly increase accidents on the road? How?
Question 3: Would you ride this bus? Why or why not?
Question 4: Do you think we should have 3D Express Coaches in America?
Opinion/Reflection: I don't know how much this would help ease the traffic. I mean, how many trains are their on the road? Most people that travel by train are actually underground in a subway. Also, how much money and time and construction will be needed. Maybe it's not worth it. The only real benefit I see is that it is eco-friendly. Since it creates it's own energy thorugh the sun that will help everyone. If I was in charge. I would try to incorporate this idea into a trains in already made train stations.
ReplyDeleteAnswer to question 4: There are two ways to look at this either a new, ecofriendly way of transportation that will create a jobs, or a waste of time and money. This will benefit the enviroment and reduse the use of fossil fuels in the U.S. that will also help make jobs, which helps the enviroment, but for this to happen we will need to make a lot of these which will take an enourmous amount of money.
Opinion/Reflection: I think that this is the coolest piece of transportation that I have ever seen! I want to know what made people think of this besides reducing traffic! This is honestly a very smart idea. I think it is because you can fit almost 1400 people in it. I can't even imagine how many buses this one 3D express coach can remove from the streets to ease the traffic flow. At first, when looking at the picture I thought it was just a building, but once I read the article I found out what this thing can do. I think if we had these in major cities in the U.S. it could really help reduce the amount of traffic that occurs in them!
ReplyDeleteAnswer to Question 3: Yes I would ride this bus, only if I lived in a busy city. I think that it would be fun to be standing in a vehicle over top of many others passing through it. Also it would seem like one of the simulation rides, except it is in real life. No doubt would I ride this bus at least once in my lifetime, if the tickets were even cheaper, that would be better too!
Opinion/Reflection: I love this idea, but it seems too costly for me. I realize that in the long run this would definetly help transportation around the world, but with the way the economy has been down, not only in our country, but in others as well, it would just make the economy worse. If you think about it, it would cost over 1 billion dollars to make 13 of these buses. I think it is a really cool invention, but it isn't for the U.S. right now. However, in places like India and China, where the economy is blossoming, it is perfect. I am a lways looking for ways of improvement and this could be good for the U.S. once our economy goes up. If only there was a cheap, efficient, and clean way of transportation!
ReplyDeleteAnswer to Question #3: I would ride this bus in an instant! I think it is the coolest way of transportation I have ever seen! I would just love to sit at the top and look down and seeing cars pass through your bus. Now that is something you don't see every day! I just can't wait until our economy goes up and the U.S. adopts this way of amazing transportation.
Opinion/Relfection: WOAH! That is actually really cool! It has more pros than cons also. The pros is that it is environmentally friendly, it can decrease the rate of traffic jams, and it can carry a bunch of people! The only con is the expense, but it will benefit in the long run like Smirti said. I think this is a super cool idea, and there should be more of these buses. I would love to ride through or in this bus, it would be so cool!
ReplyDeleteAnswer to Question 3: Oh my gosh yes I would ride this bus! This is for sure the coolest train/car/bus I have ever seen in my life! I just think it would be a great experience to try this bus, and see everything around me. America should get some of these buses!