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SkyTran will change the lives of average commuters in several very important, and very positive, ways.
They will have more time to spend on things they enjoy doing.
Currently, most people spend several hours a week in traffic: going to and from work, running errands, going shopping, going out to eat or to a movie, etc. Every minute of those hours is wasted time, time people would rather spend doing something else. (Taxi drivers who get paid by the minute probably don't mind, but everyone else does.) SkyTran would allow people to spend at least 80% of those wasted minutes on things they actually want to do: more working, more shopping, more time at a restaurant or at a movie, etc. With a robust SkyTran network, people would be able to go wherever they want without waiting in traffic and end up no more than a quarter-mile from wherever they want to go. Compare that distance (about a five-minute walk) to the distance many people have to walk after parking far away from their destination, for example, or the distance most people have to walk to get to the nearest subway station or light-rail stop.
They will be able to live quite easily without a car.
In big cities, many people live without cars because they can, but in other parts of the country people don't have that luxury. Most people drive a car because they have to. Most Americans live in the suburbs, and in most suburban cities and towns people have to have cars to get around. Many people in the suburbs live more than a 20-minute walk (about 1 mile) to the nearest grocery store, for example, to say nothing of their jobs, schools, churches, movie theaters, or restaurants. Despite this inconvenience, most people like living in the suburbs. Taxes and cost of living are usually lower than in the city, the schools are usually better, most companies are increasingly located in the suburbs, and American infrastructure has grown to accommodate a suburban lifestyle over the past 30 years. Giving up their cars would mean they'd have to move into the city, where taxes and prices are usually higher and which may or may not have comparable schools or infrastructure. With SkyTran, suburbanites can give up their cars -- and the stress and expenses that go along with them -- and still keep their suburban lifestyles.
They will be able to live far away from where they work and still commute quickly and easily.
Most people live over 15 miles (or a 5-hour walk) from where they work. They effectively have no choice but to own and drive a car. Their cars give them freedom and flexibility, but also cost them thousands of dollars a year in insurance, gas, regular maintainence (oil changes, tune-ups, tires), and irregular maintainence (accidents, major parts breaking down). Not to mention the time they lose in traffic, which is literally priceless. We repeat: SkyTran will allow them to live where they currently live, but without the need to pay for or maintain a car.
They will lose weight.
America is one of the most obese nations in the world. Many people point to Americans' diets as the main culprit, but few people point to Americans' sedentary lifestyle. Most Americans spend most of their time sitting down -- at work, at school, at home, or in the car. In contrast, people in most other industrialized nations walk a good deal. SkyTran will be help people continue to walk around more while allowing them to get to their destinations faster. More walking will inevitably lead most people to less weight. That weight loss benefits them personally, but it also benefits society because the population as a whole will be healthier.
They will have more time to spend on things they enjoy doing.
Currently, most people spend several hours a week in traffic: going to and from work, running errands, going shopping, going out to eat or to a movie, etc. Every minute of those hours is wasted time, time people would rather spend doing something else. (Taxi drivers who get paid by the minute probably don't mind, but everyone else does.) SkyTran would allow people to spend at least 80% of those wasted minutes on things they actually want to do: more working, more shopping, more time at a restaurant or at a movie, etc. With a robust SkyTran network, people would be able to go wherever they want without waiting in traffic and end up no more than a quarter-mile from wherever they want to go. Compare that distance (about a five-minute walk) to the distance many people have to walk after parking far away from their destination, for example, or the distance most people have to walk to get to the nearest subway station or light-rail stop.
They will be able to live quite easily without a car.
In big cities, many people live without cars because they can, but in other parts of the country people don't have that luxury. Most people drive a car because they have to. Most Americans live in the suburbs, and in most suburban cities and towns people have to have cars to get around. Many people in the suburbs live more than a 20-minute walk (about 1 mile) to the nearest grocery store, for example, to say nothing of their jobs, schools, churches, movie theaters, or restaurants. Despite this inconvenience, most people like living in the suburbs. Taxes and cost of living are usually lower than in the city, the schools are usually better, most companies are increasingly located in the suburbs, and American infrastructure has grown to accommodate a suburban lifestyle over the past 30 years. Giving up their cars would mean they'd have to move into the city, where taxes and prices are usually higher and which may or may not have comparable schools or infrastructure. With SkyTran, suburbanites can give up their cars -- and the stress and expenses that go along with them -- and still keep their suburban lifestyles.
They will be able to live far away from where they work and still commute quickly and easily.
Most people live over 15 miles (or a 5-hour walk) from where they work. They effectively have no choice but to own and drive a car. Their cars give them freedom and flexibility, but also cost them thousands of dollars a year in insurance, gas, regular maintainence (oil changes, tune-ups, tires), and irregular maintainence (accidents, major parts breaking down). Not to mention the time they lose in traffic, which is literally priceless. We repeat: SkyTran will allow them to live where they currently live, but without the need to pay for or maintain a car.
They will lose weight.
America is one of the most obese nations in the world. Many people point to Americans' diets as the main culprit, but few people point to Americans' sedentary lifestyle. Most Americans spend most of their time sitting down -- at work, at school, at home, or in the car. In contrast, people in most other industrialized nations walk a good deal. SkyTran will be help people continue to walk around more while allowing them to get to their destinations faster. More walking will inevitably lead most people to less weight. That weight loss benefits them personally, but it also benefits society because the population as a whole will be healthier.