Transport
Discover facts about transport. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Transport
The truck wheels that lift off the road
A drop axle lifts an unloaded truck’s extra wheels off the pavement, reducing tire wear when the truck isn’t carrying a heavy load.
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Venice replaces ordinary buses with boats that splash through brackish canals
In Venice, canals take the place of streets, so public transit runs on the water. Vaporetto boats stop at floating platforms and carry passengers along set…
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New York uses yellow to mark street-hail taxis
New York’s yellow cabs stand out from other cars, and the city uses the color to identify licensed taxis that pick up street hails. A bright paint job became…
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Seattle’s fast ferries use twin hulls to reduce drag
Fast passenger ferries use slender twin hulls to cut through the water with less wave-making drag. They carry people instead of a car queue, so the boat…
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Elevator riders face doors to track who exits
The doors are the elevator’s one useful landmark, so people turn toward them to track who is leaving and when. It is less a social choice than a tiny communal…
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Reindeer switch from soft summer pads to ice-biting hoof edges
In summer, soft pads grow beneath reindeer hooves for grip on wet ground. In winter, those pads shrink back and expose the harder hoof edges, which bite into…
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Stopped escalators keep their steps staircase-shaped
Escalator steps ride on tracks that keep each tread level as the chain moves. When the motor stops, the steps stay supported in a staircase shape—an unusually…
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An empty bottle clears airport security, then fills for free
Take an empty reusable bottle through airport security, then fill it at a water fountain on the other side. The checkpoint objects to liquid, not the…
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Motorcycle taxis deliver goats to market
In places where motorcycle taxis carry cargo as well as people, a goat rides as another load: cheap, direct transport to market without waiting for a truck.…
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Two widely spaced hulls keep catamarans upright
A catamaran’s two hulls sit far apart, giving the boat a wide base that resists tipping. Instead of hanging a heavy keel deep below the water, it gets…
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Unauthorized runway crossings bring airport security
A runway is a live aircraft route, not a road with unusually dramatic pavement. Guards and barriers hold traffic until planes are clear, and an unauthorized…
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A tractor hitch lifts equipment over stumps
Hydraulic arms raise the hitch’s two lower links, while a top link keeps the implement angled and controlled. Lift the whole attachment and its blades or…
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Human-powered rickshaws fit Japan’s narrow streets
A two-wheeled rickshaw slipped through narrow streets where larger vehicles struggled, and its simple human-powered design kept costs low. Japan’s crowded…
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Some airlines deny first-class passengers for casual dress
Some airlines set dress standards for first class and let staff refuse boarding when a passenger did not meet them. A pricier ticket bought a bigger seat and…
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Roller skate wheels flex when you lean to make you turn
Leaning shifts your weight onto one side of the skate, compressing its soft bushings and tilting the trucks so the wheels steer into a curve. The wheels…
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Mantle convection moves tectonic plates by circulating hot, semisolid rock
The mantle is solid rock, but over millions of years it flows like extremely stubborn putty. Hot rock rises and cooler rock sinks beneath the plates, helping…
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Parallel parking moves a car through arcs, not sideways
With ordinary steering, the front wheels turn while the rear wheels follow a different curve. Reversing into the space and then changing the steering…
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Why elevators started playing music
A quiet elevator leaves you alone with the cables, the machinery, and the number of floors still to go. Background music softened the mechanical noise and…
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Why hovercraft skirts keep tearing
A hovercraft’s skirt traps the cushion of air that lifts the vehicle, but it has to flex against water, mud, and rough ground. That repeated scraping wears…
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Overhead bins are built to withstand heavy impacts
Overhead bins are tested to keep heavy bags contained during severe jolts, including the forces of an emergency landing. That sturdy latch is doing more than…
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Vatican City can legally sail under its own flag
International agreements allow vessels to sail under the Vatican flag, though the landlocked state has no navy.
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The ship fuel that's almost solid at room temperature
Heavy ship fuel is so thick at room temperature that pumps need it warmed before it flows properly. Heat turns the tarry stuff into something an engine can…
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New York's abandoned subway station beneath City Hall
City Hall station opened in 1904 with elegant tilework and a sharply curved platform. As trains grew longer, the small station became awkward to use and…
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Canes and walking sticks must pass through the X-ray
An X-ray scanner checks what is inside a cane as well as what is inside a bag; a hollow shaft can hide objects from a quick glance. The walking stick gets no…
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