While more people opt for travel by car and private transport, the number of passengers that trains and buses can carry has also been reduced to meet social distancing guidelines. This means that people from different households must keep one to two metres apart. So, once a seat is taken, surrounding seats must be left empty.
This has had a profound effect on the climate impact of train and car travel. When running at normal capacity, public transport is more environmentally friendly than travelling by car. Although a train or bus can produce more C0₂ than a car, they transport far more people, so emissions per person are lower overall.
But under social distancing conditions, and assuming that any unfilled seats correspond to a commuter driving to work instead, diesel-powered public transport produces more C0₂ emissions per passenger than a small car.
Can passengers be seated so public transportation can be more efficient than cars while maintaining social distancing?
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 18 2020, @03:02PM (3 children)
The real benefit here is that it's largely taking out the elderly. The same elderly that don't want the young to have medicare for all or really address any of our crises in an effective way. They've disproportionately voted to hold back progress on dealing with any of those issues in a meaningful way. Them dying is a bit like God telling us that it's time to actually take some action.
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 18 2020, @03:54PM
The lockdown states' policies are tailor made for the benefit of the >65 year olds, and the detriment of everyone else.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 18 2020, @04:39PM (1 child)
We have the launch codes. We have decided to take you with us.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 18 2020, @10:41PM
Go ahead, it would be less cruel.