How could mass transit systems improve their fuel efficiency?
The trains have made improvements, but buses less so. One of the most important developments has been the introduction of double-decked trains, making the weight per seat much lower and therefore the energy consumption per seat about 20 percent less. The ‘weight per seat’ metric is critical to getting energy consumption down, and construction materials have become 30 to 40 percent more efficient in recent decades. We are also seeing greater use of renewable electricity and some urban systems are totally green. Increased electrification of railway systems improves local air quality. However, electrification has less effect on carbon emissions because the electricity has to be generated somewhere. Overall, what is most important is that energy consumption is going down. Do some passengers choose public transport because they are aware of climate change? It is questionable whether people change their behavior due to climate awareness, or even whether they know that public transport has a
