Concise Encyclopedia of Traffic and Transportation Systems

Book excerpt: "The vast expansion of transportation systems on land, sea and in the air throughout the twentieth century has allowed for the development of economic, social and political connections across the globe undreamed of by our ancestors. However, this expansion has brought with it familiar problems such as airport delays and gridlock in our major cities. Fortunately, parallel progress in system science and information technology can provide us with the appropriate tools for rational and efficient solutions to our exponentially increasing transportation demands. This encyclopedia addresses the analysis, modelling and control of today's and tomorrow's traffic and transportation systems in a concise, comprehensive single volume. Well over 100 articles have been specially commissioned, or revised from the acclaimed Systems & Control Encyclopedia, to provide an overview of and first reference to models, control methods and practical aspects of all forms of traffic and transportation systems with a particular emphasis on efficient utilization of available infrastructure, plus a consideration of their historical, organizational, economic and social impacts. The Concise Encyclopedia of Traffic & Transportation Systems will be essential for professional and academic scientists and engineers in any discipline concerned with the movement of people and materials."--Book description, Amazon.com.