As the technology of the world rushes forward and populations explode the need to keep the machinery of civilization functioning becomes ever more important. Even if we can trust machinery there is always a danger in trusting the men who run those machines. What would happen if those who ran the internet, or the airlines, or the truckers who bring us our food went on strike?
This question is as relevant now as it was in 1940 when Robert A. Heinlein wrote "The Roads Must Roll" and while the technology used in this story can feel a little silly the basic idea it explores is in many ways more important now than it was then.
The roads in "The Road Must Roll" have been replaced with what amounts to moving sidewalks. These can be used to move people and goods quickly across the country. Their only real flaws are that the belts can break. This has been largely fixed but the role of technicians is still a vital one. The Roads must Roll is about those technicians realizing the power that wield and their attempt to exercise that power.
The main character of this story is about the chief engineer of those technicians. A large part of his job is to ensure that the technicians continue to run the road well so when one of his chief deputies shuts down a major roadway and threatens to attempt a general strike he is the one forced to deal with it.
More impressive than the technology in this story is the political idea that is set forth of a new type of social order. This is led by a group that call themselves the functionalists and believe each man should be able to use the importance of his function in society to get what he wants. This idea works because each person believes that his function in society is vital and thanks to the interconnectivity of our society they are. It works especially well with the road technicians who have a near monopoly on transportation in this world.
Of special note in this story is the use of what amounts to a Segway. It is described as a two wheeled vehicle that is kept upright and used to travel though the small areas of the roads mechanisms quickly because it is little wider than a man's shoulders. I don't know if this is the first time that the Segway was used in fiction, but as this story was written in 1940 it seems likely.
All of Heinlein's work is fun to read. With reasonable amounts of action and a quick pace he spends more time than I would like describing the technology of the road but he keeps that interesting and makes it seem like a real technology. All in all I would strongly recommend The Roads must Roll by Robert Heinlein.