March 03, 2008
The public transit system in the San Francisco Bay Area and many other places is unsatisfactory and very expensive to extend. Partly, this is because communities have sprawled, depending on private car ownership. Maybe autonomous vehicles supported by a great information system could supplement mass transit in a significant way. Modern information technology can revitalize the old ideas of ride-sharing, van pools, taxis, and jitney services to complement mass transit systems.
Consider a service using all the ideas in Orbitz, Google Maps, Facebook, eBay, and Zipcar supplemented by GPS-navigators and high-function cell phones as well as the web. It would become the central nervous system of the entire surface transportation system for the Bay Area. It would on the web and communicates to public transit services, vehicle-based radios, personal computers, and cell phones. It links all drivers and all riders in an attempt to match the convenience of personal vehicles. It can be a profit-making service that improves the quality of lives and helps the environment.
