8 Efficient Transportation Options for SHTF

Regardless of what ultimately causes the apocalypse, a lot of things are going to change. Trips to the grocery store or the doctor will be replaced with emergency supplies, farming, and first aid training. Moving from place to place won’t be as easy as hopping in the car and hitting the road, either.

Transportation in a SHTF scenario will look a lot different than it does right now, so you’ll have to approach it differently. What are some of the most efficient modes of transportation in a SHTF scenario?

Vanishing Options

There are a lot of different options for transportation in the modern world. You can get your car and drive to the store. You can hop on a train or a Greyhound bus for longer trips where you don’t want to drive. You can climb onto a commercial airliner to help you travel even further, leaving the ground behind entirely. When SpaceX’s Starship passenger craft is ready for use, even the sky won’t be the limit anymore.

When it comes to most SHTF scenarios, these forms of mass transportation will likely vanish fairly quickly. Anything that offers flight requires massive amounts of fuel and teams of people to keep everything running smoothly and safely.

The same thing applies to ground-based transportation as well, regardless of the type. If things really hit the fan, it will end up being every person for themselves, and that is how we’re going to have to reshape our concept of transit.

Things to Consider

Even if a country’s transportation infrastructure collapses, there are still things that you’ll want to consider before choosing your SHTF transport, including:

• Why do you need it?
• How far do you need to travel?
• What type of fuel does it use?
• How many people do you need to transport?
• Are there external threats you need to prepare for?
• Do you have the skills necessary to operate your chosen transport?
• Can you overcome any obstacles in your path?

This isn’t an exhaustive list by any means. Before you choose your SHTF transportation, spend some time thinking about the what-ifs. The more time you spend thinking about possible contingencies, the less likely they’ll be to surprise you.

Let’s hop into some of your transportation options and explore the pros and cons of each.

1. Vehicles — Standard

In 2019, there were 284.5 million registered vehicles in the United States alone. Chances are pretty high you have at least one vehicle registered under your name if you’re old enough to have a driver’s license. There are a lot of vehicles out there at any given time, but not all of them are suitable for apocalypse transportation.

Pros:

• Availablity — You can find a car nearly anywhere, even if you don’t already have one.
• Parts — There are only a few hundred different makes and models, so finding replacement parts is easier.
• Distance — Most cars can travel hundreds of miles on a single tank of gas.
• Storage — Standard cars, trucks, and SUVS are designed for hauling supplies.
• Alternative Power Options — If you have an off-grid power generation setup, you could theoretically use an electric car in a SHTF scenario.

Cons:

• Fuel — Gasoline will be hard to come by and only existing diesel vehicles can be easily converted to use biodiesel.
• Off-Roading — Most standard cars aren’t designed to drive anywhere but on a smooth and paved surface. Getting around obstacles might be difficult.
• Lightweight Materials — Modern cars are mostly aluminum and plastic, which isn’t great for security if you’ve got an external threat to contend with.

2. Vehicles — Off-Road

If your survival shelter is off the beaten path or you’ve got a lot of abandoned cars to avoid, opting for a vehicle that’s already set up for off-roading might be your best option.

Pros:

• Heavy-Duty Suspension — These vehicles are designed to take a beating, so you don’t have to worry about bottoming out on a speedbump or breaking a strut if you have to go off-road.
• More Torque — These off-road designs need more torque to help you climb hills and over boulders. That can also translate into towing power if you need to haul a trailer.
• Accessories — Off-road-equipped vehicles often come with bright trail lights, winches, and other accessories that could be valuable in a SHTF scenario.

Cons:

• Specific Parts and Tires — Finding replacements for the heavy-duty parts necessary to keep an off-road vehicle running can be challenging.
• On-Road Handling — Many of these vehicles are great for off-road travel but might not handle well on paved surfaces, especially if they’re equipped with trail or bouldering tires.
• Less Storage — Most off-road-friendly vehicles are designed with passenger seating in mind rather than storage.

3. Vehicles — Modded

This is where things start to get really fun. Gearheads and mechanics will be in their element if the world ends because it will be the perfect opportunity to install all of those mods that wouldn’t be street legal under normal circumstances.

Pros:

• Make It Your Own — Do you want a NOS-boosted engine? An armored body? A roof-mounted .50 caliber machine gun and tailpipe flame throwers? They might not all be practical, but feel free to live out your “Mad Max” modding fantasies.
• Turn Any Car Into a Bugout Vehicle — An old Ford Taurus or Toyota Camry might not be your first choice for a bugout vehicle, but if that’s all you have on hand, mods can turn it into something functional for the apocalypse.

Cons:

• Fabrication Skills Are a Must — If something breaks, you can’t exactly find an easy replacement. Welding and other fabrication skills will be absolutely necessary.
• A Waste of Supplies — Sure, you can build anything you’ve ever dreamed of with a bit of practice and some scrap metal, but the designs might not always be practical.
• Reduced Fuel Economy — Loading up your modded car with heavy armor might keep you safe, but it’s going to drop your MPG straight into the toilet.

4. Vehicles — Other

Cars, trucks, and SUVs aren’t your only options for SHTF scenarios. You just have to think a little bigger. RVs, school busses, and even things like converted semi-trucks can all help you navigate an apocalyptic wasteland. In these cases, bigger might be better.

Pros:

• A More Intimidating Profile — There’s really nothing scarier than a massive modded truck or bus tearing at top speed down an otherwise empty highway. Others might think twice about attacking something that large.
• Easier to Navigate Crowded Roads — Strap a cattle guard to the front, and instead of going offroad to avoid abandoned cars, you can just shove them to the side of the road, out of your way.
• Perfect for Mobile Bases — If a stationary survival shelter isn’t an option, these large vehicles are a great option for a mobile base.
• Easy to Fuel — Most of these massive vehicles already run on diesel, making it easy to convert them to biofuel.

Cons:

• Difficult to Drive — There’s a reason why you have to go to school to earn a commercial driver’s license. These big vehicles are a lot harder to learn how to drive.
• Require Lots of Fuel — If you thought the family SUV was a gas guzzler, you’ve never driven a semi.
• Makes You an Obvious Target — Smaller or quieter vehicles make it easier to sneak through dangerous landscapes. That isn’t an option with one of these beasts.

5. Human-Powered Options

Bicycles, e-bikes, skateboards, roller skates, and your own two feet are all transportation options in a SHTF scenario. They might not be the fastest option, but in a pinch, they can keep you moving.

Pros:

• Don’t Have to Be Entirely Human Powered — While most of the options we mentioned rely entirely on human-powered movement, they don’t have to. E-bikes, for example, give you the option to pedal or use a battery-powered assist to keep you moving and can travel up to 70 miles on a single charge.

• No Fuel Costs or Complex Repairs — Relying on your own strength means you don’t have to worry about finding gasoline or making diesel fuel.

• Improved Agility — There’s really nothing more agile than the human body, at least when you compare it to various types of vehicles.

Cons:

• Increased Food Intake — The more active you are, the more calories you need to consume. If food supplies are scarce, this could create a problem.

• Not as Fast — Human-powered transportation options are not a great choice if you need to get somewhere fast. We simply aren’t as fast as modern internal combustion engines.

• Relies on Your Own Strength and Stamina — If you weren’t an active kid — or an active adult for that matter — getting around on foot or on a bike could be challenging, at least at the beginning of the apocalypse.

6. Motorcycles

Sometimes, it’s important to trade storage and security for speed and agility. Motorcycles are the perfect option for many people, especially if they’re traveling alone or navigating the wasteland with a small group of other riders.

Pros:

• Superior Agility and Speed — If escape and evade is the new standard operating procedure for whatever caused the apocalypse, motorcycles provide better speed and agility than most cars.
• Require Less Fuel — Small fuel tanks won’t carry you as far, but they’re easier to top off than large car or truck tanks.
• Easy to Cut and Run — If for whatever reason you need to abandon your motorcycle and proceed on foot, it’s easy to drop the bike and just go, especially if you’re not planning to come back for it.

Cons:

• No Accident Protection — One of the best things about a car or truck is the fact that it comes with a built-in roll cage. You don’t have that protection, from accidents or attackers, on a motorcycle.
• Only Good for 1-2 Travelers — At best, you can carry two people on a motorcycle, or maybe three if you’re very friendly and have a sidecar. They’re not a great option for large groups of people.

7. All-Terrain Vehicles

While we’re not living under the threat of an apocalypse, ATVs are a great way to get off the beaten path and navigate off-road without needing to buy or mod your existing vehicle. In a SHTF situation, they can be one of the best ways to navigate a dangerous landscape.

Pros:

• Designed for Off-Road Navigation — While you can use them on highways and paved surfaces, they’re called all-terrain vehicles for a reason.
• Rugged and Sturdy — They might not be unbreakable, but ATVs are designed to be sturdy so they can take a beating.

Cons:

• Limited to Two People — Most ATVs are designed for a single rider. You may be able to fit two people on them, but only if you’re not trying to carry a lot of supplies.
• No Roll Cage — They may be a bit more stable than a motorcycle, but the lack of a roll cage puts you at risk.
• Not Designed for Long Distances — Most ATVs are limited to 50-150 miles on a tank of gas. They’re useful if you’re making short supply runs, but not great for long distances.

8. Animal-Powered Options

We may have technologically advanced away from horse-drawn carriages and dogsleds, but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t have an application in an apocalyptic scenario.

Pros:

• No Hunting for Parts — A bit of veterinary knowledge might be useful, but when it comes to both horses and dogs, you don’t have to worry about things like hunting for parts when it comes to repairs.
• Swift Cross-Country Travel — There’s a reason why horses were the animal of choice for transportation for centuries. They’re fast, they have incredible stamina, and they can carry enormous loads.
• Good for Morale — Who wouldn’t love having a horse or a dog team around? During a SHTF scenario, you need all the morale boosts you can find.

Cons:

• Extra Mouths to Feed — You might not have to find fuel for a horse, but you definitely need to keep them fed. If food supplies are scarce, you might find it difficult to keep your animals fed too.
• Requires Extensive Training — This is especially true for sled dogs. If you want a pack of dogs to pull a sled or a wheeled cart, they need to be trained well and thoroughly from puppyhood.
• Limited Lifespans — We love our pets and our working animals equally, but when it comes down to it, they just don’t live as long as we do. Breeding a population of working animals can help solve some of this problem, but taking on animal husbandry is a whole different can of worms.

Think Outside the Box

This isn’t an exhaustive list of efficient transportation options by any means. The goal here is to give yourself as many options as possible, so if one falls apart, you have a backup that can keep you moving forward. Think outside the box and use your imagination! You might be surprised what you can come up with.

[Note: This was a guest post.]