Innovations on Advanced Transportation Systems for Local Applications

The worsening problem of traffic congestion can be attributed to the rapid growth of the country’s population, urbanization rate and industrialization development. Traffic congestion induces environmental pollution and energy waste and significant increased levels of road accidents particularly in metro which contributes to the aggravated repercussions of climate change. Local air pollution problems and effects of climate change will remain to threat the Philippines unless an innovative model for realty and transport planning is employed. The transportation sector does a crucial part in the development of the country’s economy. Cities are referred as the "engines" of country’s growth. This paper aims to address the severe lack of the use of environmentally sustainable technology transport alternatives, i.e. diesel-electric vehicle which will serve as an instrument in the national socio-economic development. This paper discusses the development of the prototypes of locally-manufactured and environmentally sustainable transport alternatives such as (1) automated guide-way transit, (2) hybrid electric road train, and (3) hybrid electric train. The advanced transport program of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) through Metals Industry Research and Development Center developed these prototypes which are envisioned to be efficient, fast, convenient to use, safe, all Filipino-made and environment friendly transport technology that will accommodate passengers in the Philippines and would improve competitiveness to provide additional incentives and solutions targeting pressing national challenges on urban transport.