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The recent rise in gasoline prices have served as a wakeup call to tell us that we are going to have to change to more energy efficient means of transportation. We must design the new system to meet the spread out housing patterns we have adopted over the last half century. The system of the near future will include small, very high mileage electric and hybrid electric vehicles and expanded mass transit.

Planning was underway before 2007. The Ohio Hub Plan is a project of Ohio Rail Development Commission. This proposal calls for the development of high speed (up to 110 MPH) trains connecting major Ohio cities. This system is to serve passengers and freight. The Ohio system is to fit into a regional network. As can be seen in the first map, the rail system is planned to connect major cities. We will need additional feeders to the Hub Plan. These will likely include a combination of electric buses and monorails.

The 3-C plan was started by Governor Strickland to start rail development in Ohio with the connection of Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, and Cleveland. It had $400 million of federal funds. There would have been a stop near the Air Force Museum. It would have brought many millions of additional tourist dollars to the area in addition to 16,000 new jobs to Ohio workers. It would have provided a very substantial start for the Ohio Hub Plan. Governor Kasich cancelled it immediately upon taking office.

An additional idea is to have fleets of small electric vehicles on which people rent time. A person would drive the vehicle to a stop on the mass transit system, board the train, arrive in another city, and drive another small vehicle to a final destination.