4 ms·

I like the simplifying-the-problem approach a lot! Roads in the US/California are so good that I can see it happen, and with clear labelling this could totally

I like the simplifying-the-problem approach a lot! Roads in the US/California are so good that I can see it happen, and with clear labelling this could totally "ship" in a few years (i.e. remove the safety driver). The next step would be 1h-out-of-town commuters + close-suburbia to specific dropoff points in downtown or wherever jobs tend to be. Again, stay on big roads that have good signalling, and keep the bright colors so other drivers will know to stay out of your way in the carpool lane. It's basically what the big tech companies in the Valley are doing with their commuting busses, but smaller and for everyone. The min-busses with flexible routes are a common mode of transportation in certain Eastern European countries, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshrutka https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshrutka

ghaff 8y ago
> The min-busses with flexible routes are a common mode of transportation in certain Eastern European countries, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshrutka https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshrutka They are. But that makes me wonder why we don't already see a lot of this type of thing in the US. My instinct would be the cost of a minimum wage-ish driver isn't the difference between this mode of transportation working and it not. Of course, it does exist in a sense with Lyft Line and Uber Pool although those don't get a lot of attention.
- maxerickson 8y ago
  A similar service is quite common in the US: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demand_responsive_transport#United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demand_responsive_transport#Un... Lower costs there can perhaps lead to a virtuous cycle of increased service and use.
  - vonmoltke 8y ago
    The vast majority of such systems in the US are limited to people with disabilities.
    - maxerickson 8y ago
      This is not the impression I have. The one here is open to anyone and even sometimes runs a loop for a local taproom. I guess you could sample 10 or 100 of them and see how many impose restrictions on rider eligibility.
      - vonmoltke 8y ago
        "Vast majority" may have been too strong, but I stand behind "majority". The two programs on that Wiki page that actually have links are for disabled passengers only. Looking at the three systems that have covered areas I have lived, Broward County Transit and New Jersey Transit offer DRT only to those with disabilities, and Dallas Area Rapid Transit has very limited DRT service for non-disabled customers. > The one here is open to anyone and even sometimes runs a loop for a local taproom. If it is running a loop it isn't DRT, it's a jitney.
        maxerickson 8y ago
        I imagine the urban systems tend to be more restrictive than the rural ones.
  - petra 8y ago
    ridewithvia.com is a recent startup, doing "demand responsive transportation", for regular people, very successfully - multiple us cities, and various (new) global partnerships.

ghaff 8y ago

> The min-busses with flexible routes are a common mode of transportation in certain Eastern European countries, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshrutka https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshrutka They are. But that makes me wonder why we don't already see a lot of this type of thing in the US. My instinct would be the cost of a minimum wage-ish driver isn't the difference between this mode of transportation working and it not. Of course, it does exist in a sense with Lyft Line and Uber Pool although those don't get a lot of attention.

maxerickson 8y ago
A similar service is quite common in the US: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demand_responsive_transport#United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demand_responsive_transport#Un... Lower costs there can perhaps lead to a virtuous cycle of increased service and use.
- vonmoltke 8y ago
  The vast majority of such systems in the US are limited to people with disabilities.
  - maxerickson 8y ago
    This is not the impression I have. The one here is open to anyone and even sometimes runs a loop for a local taproom. I guess you could sample 10 or 100 of them and see how many impose restrictions on rider eligibility.
    - vonmoltke 8y ago
      "Vast majority" may have been too strong, but I stand behind "majority". The two programs on that Wiki page that actually have links are for disabled passengers only. Looking at the three systems that have covered areas I have lived, Broward County Transit and New Jersey Transit offer DRT only to those with disabilities, and Dallas Area Rapid Transit has very limited DRT service for non-disabled customers. > The one here is open to anyone and even sometimes runs a loop for a local taproom. If it is running a loop it isn't DRT, it's a jitney.
      - maxerickson 8y ago
        I imagine the urban systems tend to be more restrictive than the rural ones.
- petra 8y ago
  ridewithvia.com is a recent startup, doing "demand responsive transportation", for regular people, very successfully - multiple us cities, and various (new) global partnerships.