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A similar idea may be used by http://www.unimodal.net/ http://www.unimodal.net/ — a cross between a train and a car. The individual cars don't stop until they

A similar idea may be used by http://www.unimodal.net/ http://www.unimodal.net/ — a cross between a train and a car. The individual cars don't stop until they need to: http://a6.unimodal.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=36 http://a6.unimodal.com/index.php?option=com_content&task... (sorry for the hideous URL).

DanielStraight 16y ago
Embarking and disembarking is still a problem. What if 100 people in a row want to get off at the same stop? If the queue is too long for the low-speed section, it will back up onto the high-speed section, bringing the whole system to a halt. What if 100 people in a row suddenly want to get on at the same stop? Where will the cars come from?
- raimondious 16y ago
  Maybe you would need loops for overflow? If you look around on the site, somewhere they talk about being able to call empty cars to a station. I don't think the system is unusable because of these issues; solutions just need to be worked out, like in any new technology. Edit: Additionally, it's unlikely that 100 people will want to get off at the same time, which is one of the advantages: it's on demand, rather than based on a schedule like a train. Taxi lines have the same issue, but they work out. I submitted this to HN a few days ago: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1275848 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1275848
  - derefr 16y ago
    If passengers were encouraged (perhaps with a reduced fare, say) to register "transit plans" (like flight plans) before/while boarding, the system would always know roughly how many people were going to get on/off at each stop. Presumably it would use SMS, so you could text a train/bus/whatever to stop at your stop much like calling a taxi to your house.
  - gretsifn 16y ago
    > Maybe you would need loops for overflow? Or you could, in those circumstances, just... stop the train. ;)
    - raimondious 16y ago
      Check the link: no trains, just a lot of little pods.

DanielStraight 16y ago

Embarking and disembarking is still a problem. What if 100 people in a row want to get off at the same stop? If the queue is too long for the low-speed section, it will back up onto the high-speed section, bringing the whole system to a halt. What if 100 people in a row suddenly want to get on at the same stop? Where will the cars come from?

raimondious 16y ago
Maybe you would need loops for overflow? If you look around on the site, somewhere they talk about being able to call empty cars to a station. I don't think the system is unusable because of these issues; solutions just need to be worked out, like in any new technology. Edit: Additionally, it's unlikely that 100 people will want to get off at the same time, which is one of the advantages: it's on demand, rather than based on a schedule like a train. Taxi lines have the same issue, but they work out. I submitted this to HN a few days ago: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1275848 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1275848
- derefr 16y ago
  If passengers were encouraged (perhaps with a reduced fare, say) to register "transit plans" (like flight plans) before/while boarding, the system would always know roughly how many people were going to get on/off at each stop. Presumably it would use SMS, so you could text a train/bus/whatever to stop at your stop much like calling a taxi to your house.
- gretsifn 16y ago
  > Maybe you would need loops for overflow? Or you could, in those circumstances, just... stop the train. ;)
  - raimondious 16y ago
    Check the link: no trains, just a lot of little pods.