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I recently saw the story of a possible trucker strike on the news and then again on Treehugger. I’m not sure what the chances are of seeing a major organized strike, but if it were to happen our economy would pay dearly.

I knew that diesel costs have sky-rocketed lately, but I guess I figured that the costs were being passed on to consumers. From what I’ve been reading, though, it seems like truckers, especially independent drivers, are eating a lot of the extra costs. You have to feel for them; they’re just trying to make a living.

Just thinking about a major trucker strike illustrates how vitally important they are to our economy. Trucks are a vital key to our economic infrastructure. Without ‘em, nearly every good in the country would sit idle, unable to get to its destination. I can’t imagine what would happen in a major, prolonged strike, especially to consumer staples such as groceries and retail stores. Heck, what if the gasoline-hauling truckers refused to drive? Our country would really be shut down.

The thing is: everybody seems to be blaming big oil or Bush and Cheney/Halliburton. It’s the easiest way out, but I don’t think the problem lies there. World oil demand is never-relenting, but there’s only so much of the black stuff underground. The big, bad oil companies are drilling in ever-remote locations and making less and less big finds while crude now costs over $100 a barrel. How’s a strike going to fix that?

If the problem is that complex though, then how in the world do we fix it? That’s a tough question, and it’s going to be a big one. Sure, we commute in hybrids and develop electric cars to zip around in, but the alternatives are a lot more limited when we need to haul 14,000 gallons of milk halfway across the country.

I’ve read many times that railroad companies stand to gain big time in the future. They are incredibly more efficient then trucks, but at the same time a lot slower and less flexible in their routes. Plus, on the tracks that run through my hometown we probably have 50 coal trains and Amtrak stopping every day. There’s not a whole lot of room for more traffic. On top of that, it’d be hard to deliver goods to remote locations. We could eliminate a lot of long-haul trucks, but we’d still need a ton of short-haul runs. No matter what, I have a feeling our rail system is in for some big upgrades and a much larger role than it already has.

Yep, this is going to be a major issue for a long time to come. We’ve most likely seen the end of cheap fossil fuel energy. We are going to make big, big changes, whether we want to or not.

A small Norwegian car company, Think, is aiming to lead the future vehicle revolution with the development of the Think City. Every aspect of this little car is significantly different than the typical automobile. Perhaps Think can play an important role in the evolution of the automobile industry.

At first glance, the City seems to resemble the Smart fortwo. The similarities don’t run much deeper than that though. Whereas the Smart is powered by a traditional internal combustion engine, the City runs on 100% electric power. An overnight charge will give you around 124 miles of city driving, which is plenty considering the vehicle’s intended use (its top speed is only about 60 mph, pretty much limiting it to local driving). I think this really sets the Think apart from the Smart. Considering its size, the Smart is not a very efficient vehicle, and the Think is far more environmentally friendly (especially with Northern Europe’s wind power).

Drivers of the City will be able to connect with their cars in entirely different ways. Each car is Wi-Fi enabled, allowing owners to electronically stay informed on things such as the battery charge and the maintenance schedule.

Even the production and distribution of the vehicles is an innovative process. Think wants to eliminate the showroom and not build a vehicle until it’s ordered. Prospective buyers can check out a car through car-sharing networks before placing an order. As with any electric car, the battery is by far the most expensive ingredient. Think plans to lease the battery that comes with the car, and offer owners the chance to replace it when it starts to lose capacity.

Think doesn’t have near the budget of a GM or a Toyota, but they do have innovative ideas and creativity to boot. They’re also attracting investors who are drawn to their potential. Much like Tesla, they’ll run into the common issues of any small automaker, but with the current state of affairs (oil at $110 a barrel, among other things), I think they will be a hit. Follow the latest news on the City at Think’s site.

One of the more innovative companies I have seen in the environmentally conscious field has to be Zipcar.  Zipcar is the largest car-sharing service in the world, with locations throughout the US as well as several in Canada and the UK.  The premise is simple: for many people living in urban areas, the hassles of owning a car easily outweigh the benefits.  By sharing cars, people can reduce many of those hassles while continuing to meet transportation needs.

Zipcar basically works like this: You sign up and then receive a Zipcard.  Then, choosing a vehicle (which range from Prius’ to BMW’s and even trucks) at a location that suits your needs, you reserve online or by phone for the exact time you need it.  To pick up the car, all you have to do is hold the Zipcard up to the windshield and a sensor will unlock the doors.  The key should be hanging from the rearview mirror so you’re all set.  Members don’t have to worry about gas or insurance, as they are included. 

By using car-sharing services, we can reduce a lot of privately owned vehicles (Zipcar estimates it’s 20 for every 1 Zipcar), and in effect reduce a great deal of harmful effects on the planet.  Since members have to pay each time they drive, they most likely aren’t going to unless it’s necessary.  They will ultimately utilize other means of  transportation more often.  As a result, traffic congestion, air pollution, and fossil fuel use should be positively affected.  Car-sharing is ultimately the most efficient way to drive for many people, but it’s not without obstacles. 

The service has to be extremely streamlined for it to attract and retain customers.  If I were a member, one of my biggest concerns would be being able to find a car in a place and time that I need it without having to reserve it 3 weeks in advance.  Also, I would be extremely upset to have my car reserved only to show up and find that the previous driver didn’t make it back in time.  I know that they are charging fairly heavily for it, currently $50 an hour plus the normal hourly fee, but I’m sure it still happens. 

Other problems inevitably arise with Zipster’s driving habits.  So you’re driving a BMW that’s not yours without worrying about gas, insurance, or the car’s long term health; it’s not hard to spot the problem there.  There’s really nothing to prevent Zipster’s from driving like absolute  lunatics and basically treating the car like your typical rental.  That’s certainly a problem as one of the goals is to reduce the amount of fossil fuel use, which is tough to accomplish as members are free to cruise carelessly. 

For me, it would take a great deal of trust before I could sell my car and rely on a car-sharing network such as Zipcar.  We’ve got places we need to go, and we don’t have the time or patience to deal with hassles and poor customer service.  To their credit, Zipcar must be doing pretty well with their car-sharing process as they’ve continued to grow and expand since their inception.  Kudos on their innovative ways and their success so far.  Hopefully they can keep it up. 

Who says environmentally friendly can’t be fast and fun? Tesla Motors definitely believes you can have both. The San Carlos, CA based company, with the help of Lotus Cars, developed a lean, mean, and green machine which can travel approximately 220 miles between charges. The eerily quiet Roadster accelerates from 0-60 in under 4 seconds and tops out around 135 mph, performance that normally requires a very thirsty internal combustion engine.

This is an awesome thing for the automobile industry. We have long had a certain fascination with fast cars (myself included), and it’s not about to go away anytime soon. I’m glad somebody with an environmentally conscious mindset noticed. I’ve often wondered what would happen to performance cars as we moved away from fossil fuels, but now Tesla has given me hope. Rather than ignoring the huge market for fast cars, Tesla is delivering.

As cool as the Roadster is, Tesla is a still a very new and small company. Only 650 vehicles are being produced for the 2008 model year and there are only a handful of service departments around the country for the $98,000 car. Since Tesla is such an infant company it’s still going to struggle immensely with high barriers to entry into such a tough field. Here’s hoping that they overcome their obstacles and make it big.

I hope other automakers are taking notice, and realize that efficient doesn’t have to be boring and slow. I have one request though. As wasteful as it is, there is something about hearing a supercar’s engine roar that gives me chills. I don’t know if I want a silent sports car. How about an option to artificially give it a mean-sounding growl on command?