Maryam Nawaz, chief minister of Pakistan’s Punjab, has launched what she hailed as South Asia’s “first-ever trackless tram”. Internet users, however, were less than impressed, with many pointing out that a trackless tram is basically a bus.
According to a report in Dhaka Tribune, Pakistan’s first fully electric, trackless tram — the Super Autonomous Rapid Transit (Sart) system — was launched on Tuesday. Maryam Nawaz boarded the zero-emission vehicle for its inaugural ride.
However, a video of Nawaz launching the trackless tram became the object of mockery online. “Ladies and gentlemen, South Asia’s first ever Track-less tram soon starting its service in Lahore, Punjab under Maryam Nawaz,” read the caption of the video.
The video racked up over 2.6 million views on X, where a majority of the comments called the tram a bus.
Trackless tram gets trolled
{{/usCountry}}The video racked up over 2.6 million views on X, where a majority of the comments called the tram a bus.
Trackless tram gets trolled
{{/usCountry}}“That’s a bus,” read one comment under the clip.
“Still can't think of a single advantage this fictional tram gives us over a regular bus except that it's good for a Maryam Nawaz photoshoot and PR video,” another commenter said.
One X user wrote: “Important reminder. There is no such thing as a trackless tram”.
“I love how countries just reinvent buses and give them hi-tech sounding names like ‘autonomous rail-less transportation hypercarriage’ and shill accounts just eat it up,” another X user quipped.
A tram vs a bus
A tram is like a street train that runs on rails, usually powered by electricity from overhead wires, and follows a fixed track. A bus, on the other hand, runs on regular roads without rails, can change routes easily, and is usually powered by diesel, gas or batteries.
A trackless tram is therefore essentially a bus with a tram-like design and tech upgrades.
Pakistan’s fully electric, zero-emission tram developed by Norinco International can transport up to 320 passengers in its three compartments. A fourth coach can be added to boost capacity to more than 400 passengers.