Book excerpt: Transport Communications is a ground-breaking study into the future of transporting both people and goods more efficiently. The authors examine how existing modes of transport can be made more effective by the use of modern communications technology. Examples include RFID tags, which allow goods to be tracked electronically at every stage of their journey - from the point of manufacture to the point of delivery. They show how possible future developments will continue to revolutionize transport systems, leading to better, cleaner, more cost effective systems. For example, the concept of computer-controlled rail systems, such as London's Dockland Light Railway could be taken a stage further to apply to vehicles which don't run on rails; or the smart traffic control system in Milton Keynes which sense traffic flow and adjusts signal phasing accordingly.