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 Progressive Public Transport

by monique currie | 14-Dec-2009 | Comments (2) Tags: communication, community, ecology, economy, emissions, lifestyle, technology, public transport  12 ratings. Please log in to rate and comment

Progressive Public Transport: Community through Technology

Australia is approaching a critical threshold of immense economic and ecological change. To continue living according to profit-driven agendas feeds inequality and exploitation, and may well lead to an inevitable collapse. Climate change, unsustainable economic growth and a widespread attitude of competitive, self-interested individualism are creating a perfect storm, yet now we have the option to radically embrace decentralized modes of transport- giving the power to plan and manage back to the community whilst strengthening it.

The exponentially rapid development of networking and communications via technological evolution has opened up unprecedented opportunities to work towards a goal of livable cities and maintaining a sustainable environment.

Currently, there is already a comparatively well-developed infrastructure in most densely populated areas, although these roadways are more often than not subject to heavy congestion that cannot be remedied by further development. Additionally, the current volume of cars to the amount of road space available is not spatially efficient. Obviously this congestion leads to a high volume of unnecessary vehicle emissions, petroleum usage and a high degree of frustration for commuters that often spills into their personal life, who waste countless hours for no feasible good reason.

Many of these commuters come from outlying regions to urban centers, where traditional and existing public transport is not efficient or safe enough to use consistently. The advantage of mobility and safety the private automobile provides has not been surpassed by trains, buses or trams thus far. Transfers and unreliability are major detractors from the appeal of existing systems. There is no reason to sacrifice the automobile as a mode of transport however, only to reconfigure the method in which it is utilized to contribute the greatest communal benefit while retaining as many attributes as possible.

The congestion that plagues many urban centers is characterized by traffic that is usually heading along a common or very similar route.  It is within the marriage of technology and transit, that new systems can be designed to utilize pre-existing routes on roadway. Even the most basic mobile phones available in Australia are equipped with internet access, and will continue to be furthering the reach of instant long distance communication.

This ease of access by everyday people would hypothetically allow them to request a travel route (conversely to all other forms of public transport that run on predetermined timetables and routes), which could then be processed and grouped together for dispatches catering for the requested trips. Designated pick up points, within reasonable walking distance to the commuters’ origination point could be dynamically established according to each route. Taking advantage of developing technology can make it possible to bring public transport management to a grass roots level. The emergence of a technologically literate generation has rendered this scenario not impossible or too ambitious to realize.

 Investment in the development of comprehensive public transport systems would be stimulating to local economies. The demand for drivers would benefit the community, bringing a large number of jobs to it as the system became more popular. Whilst the management of the system would belong to the community, the logistics, maintenance and repair of vehicles and its computer software would need to belong to a government or privatized body. Funding could be contributed by the purchase of travelling allowance credit that may serve to cost less to the average consumer than the cost of their petrol consumption, annual registration, insurance, parking tickets and speeding fines and repairs. While the idea of public transport discussed here may be interpreted as little more than glorified carpooling, the automobiles themselves could designed to be quite comfortable, perhaps integrated with wireless internet for recreational, business or academic use. Lessening the number of cars on the road may also reduce the risk of accidents resulting from fatigue.

The question remains whether most Australians, especially youth brought up in a world of instant gratification, would voluntarily sacrifice some living standards in order to work towards a viable long-term goal. However the experience of public transport would be more pleasant, attractive and convenient to commuters if the number of cars competing for the same road space was reduced substantially. Such a system could radically improve quality of life for all urban and suburban dwellers, reducing traffic and allowing reclamation of previously dangerous and busy roads. In the case of something so vital to our future prosperity, it is necessary to make small personal sacrifices and alter to a lifestyle to contribute to a greater good.

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