Switching device moving halleycarts
between three different tubes. | Descent into Silliness or not
: Passengers as Drivers ? Budgets in municipalities are very tight. For a large scale, cheap, transit system under either increasing congestion or quadrupling oil prices, many vehicles have to be available. But an army of drivers is expensive. There are reports of overtime bus drivers bringing in $ 75,000 per year in California, and with the benefits, the state pays actually much more. Sometimes a driver is late, the bus is late, and confidence in the system is shattered again, riders seek for other alternatives. In past ages using passengers as drivers would not have been viable. Who would be liable for accidents, what if the driver went missing with the bus, what if a driver was drunk ? How could one have advance confidence in the performance and reliability of the driver ? What if there was a dispute with a passenger ? And if he skips stops ? Or goes on lengthy bathroom breaks ? Paradoxically, these issues cease to be a concern because of the almost pernicious ability of computer systems to visually record scenes and behavior, and to verify identity of participants. What we are proposing is the creation of a sub-class of bus passengers who have been thoroughly checked: credit record, no tickets, middle age, married, passed sub exam on turning corners, backing up. These individuals are given a special electronic card, and the bus receives a packet video surveillance system from which frames are sent out in real time periodically, as well a a full local video recording with drivecam of which the aged recording tail is uploaded also periodically. Passengers-as-drivers does not begin until after a critical mass of driver density is reached on local trip operations, so that there are always 3-4 individuals around eager to drive their portion, and to get a small financial reward as tax refund or cash payment. Since the vehicles here are the small van-like buses we are proposing as long term replacement for the huge and often empty large buses currently operating, these former ones are easy to handle, like your local u-haul trailer, which you are even allowed to check out w.o. any additional license test. If a bus suddenly loses all potential drivers, it is simply placed at the bus stop, with an appropriate light signal displayed indicating driverlessness. The non-driving passengers on board then have the option of awaiting the arrival of a new driver/passenger, or to exit this vehicle and wait for the next one. The inconveniences created are never great as all passengers in the system are aware of the status and location of all buses pending for their area via annunicator boards. At the end of the riding day, an employee either retrieves buses needing maintenance or fuel. Or buses could be refueled by a dedicated vehicle while on their route. Since these buses are mechanically much more like large vans, the size and complexity of a specialized maintenance department falls away also. Any disputes arising between the drivers and passengers is resolved via the drivecam record, one of which is pointed at the interior of the bus. The bus itself contains a "lojack" type transmitter (quite cheap when not sold to rich car owners) in a variant location and is therefore difficult to steal successfully. |