Tag Archives: bus

Why is passenger rail so damned inefficient?

[ This is about passenger rail, not freight rail, which is incredibly efficient. Freight rail is efficient because to reduce aerodynamic drag and diesel fuel use (USDOT 2008), they travel on averageĀ  only 23 miles per hour (to reduce aerodynamic … Continue reading

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Most energy efficient: passenger bus, rail, or auto?

Preface. Weight reduces energy efficiency, so one way to make transportation more efficient is to light-weight rail cars, buses, trucks, and cars. For every 10% reduction in weight, up to 7.6% more fuel efficiency can be gained (Joost 2012). While … Continue reading

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