Public Transport

Smartphones have made it easier than ever to keep occupied while commuting, but all it takes is a dead battery to make for a tedious waiting game. A recently installed piece of street furniture in the Turkish city of Istanbul, however, lets commuters keep their devices charged and surf the web.

UK studio PriestmanGoode has designed two train and tram seats aimed at alleviating the problem of overcrowding on transport networks. Both the streamlined Horizon and the adaptable Island Bay seats allow for more seating in a standard commuter carriage, while also affording more standing space.

​A couple of months back, when a full-scale prototype of China's bizarre bestriding bus was promised for July, we didn't actually expect to see one on the road so soon. Well, the wheels are starting to turn on this extraordinary traffic and pollution solution.

​We've been hearing a lot about the Hyperloop lately, but we haven't heard much about where its parts will be made. That changed today, as parent company Hyperloop One announced the opening of the "First Hyperloop Manufacturing Plant in the World."

Life for commuters on New York's subway system is set to get a little more comfortable, with the announcement that both its trains and stations are set for a revamp. The new subway cars will boast bigger doors for easier access, more standing space, Wi-Fi and USB charging ports.

Mercedes-Benz has given us a glimpse of what the future of public transport may look like, with a demo of its Future Bus with CityPilot. The tech-filled vehicle combines connectivity, camera and radar systems and is described by Mercedes as "a milestone on the way to the autonomous city bus."

A Beijing company is planning to move ahead with a track-based bus system that allows cars to pass underneath, an idea aimed at easing air pollution and congestion.

This autonomous shuttle bus is already on sale. Fully electric and capable of operating like a set-route bus or an on-demand taxi within geofenced areas, the Navya Arma carries 15 people at a top speed up to 45 km/h.

Preliminary plans have been unveiled for a new aerial cable car tourist attraction for the Windy City. Should the Chicago Skyline proposal be realized, it would transport up to 3,000 people per hour and link Navy Pier, the Chicago Lakefront, the Chicago River Riverwalk, and downtown Chicago.

Transport for London (TfL) is trialling e-ink digital displays to provide passengers with travel information. Maps, timetable and arrival times are shown in real time.

One of the biggest limitations of electric buses is range. Now, though, a US company has eked out over 250 miles (402 km) from one of its electric buses. The Proterra Catalyst XR is said to afford the best efficiency rating ever for a 40-ft (12-m) transit bus, at 22 mpg (12.8 l/l00 km) equivalent.

The electric-powered Lutz Pathfinder pod was presented to the public of Milton Keynes, UK, yesterday. The two-seater is due to be trialed as a means of ferrying members of the public around town, initially under driver control but eventually as a fully autonomous vehicle.