Here is part four of Mark Gorton's essay, "Smart Para-Transit: A New Vision for Urban Transportation."
The Smart Para-Transit system I have described would be capable of replacing many of the automobile trips in the New York area. However, by itself, it would be insufficient to completely replace the need to own a car for many New Yorkers. If Smart Para-Transit were paired with a car sharing program, most all driving scenarios would be covered, and this system would eliminate the need for car ownership for all but the most driving-intense New Yorkers. Zipcar is an example of a private car sharing service.
The interface between the car sharing system and the customer would be the same as with the Smart Para-Transit system. The user would simply go to a website or a cell phone and enter what sort of vehicle they would like and the length of time they need the vehicle. The user would then be told the location of a nearby vehicle that meets their needs. A premium service that drops the car at the customer’s door could even be provided at an extra cost.
For example, if a family wanted to travel up to the Finger Lakes region for a week, Smart Para-Transit would be a very costly way to meet their travel needs. But by taking an available car from the car sharing pool, the family would have a vehicle that met their needs for as long as they need it. Freight hauling vehicles could also be made available for sharing for times when people need to move large objects.
Many New Yorkers own cars but only use them infrequently. Yet these cars need to be stored all the remaining time. As a result, New York has an enormous parking shortage. Parked cars are not in use, yet they take up precious public space. Chronic parking shortages leads to cruising for parking which results in extra congestion, pollution, noise, and increased danger for children and senior citizens. In addition, parked cars take up valuable space that can be used for non-transportation purposes such as kids playing, benches, flea markets, outdoor cafés, etc. Car sharing allows each car to be kept in service a much higher percentage of the time, and as a result, fewer cars are necessary to serve the same number of trips.
Fewer cars mean less demand for parking, and a smarter use of scarce public space. By creating a system that makes more optimal use of the vehicles in the system, New York would receive an enormous spatial dividend that would allow a whole host of public activities to flourish.
"I really would think that our mayor would be a little bit more active and speak with us, because he hasn't really made any time with riders. We're not the enemy. We just want better bus service."
Justin Sherwood and his lawyer will pocket $152,000 to settle his federal civil rights suit against the city and several officers who harassed him following his 311 calls.