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First Transportation/Global Warming Forum Begins in Germany
The transportation sector produces about 33% of global warming pollution, mostly from cars and trucks. Now, at a first-of-its-kind forum in Germany, international transportation experts are discussing ways to change how all of us get from Point A to Point B. Not lost on the participants is the global warming pollution they themselves are creating in traveling to Germany.
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May 29th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
The following is an essay on improving our mass transit. This may reduce our dependency on foreign oil. This may also decrease global warming.
Let us promote more bus riding. Hybrid buses could use diamond lanes to make the ride faster. However, many people do not take the bus for two reasons. It is too cold to be waiting at the bus stop. There are too many stops the bus makes.
Let us make riding the bus less time consuming and more convenient. Create fewer stops the larger buses make. Instead, create regional bus stops. There, smaller hybrid buses, vans or SUVs will pick up people directly from riders’ homes in the region, to take people to the regional bus stops. There, people may wait in the vans or SUVs until the large buses reach the bus stops, preventing people from needing to wait in the weather elements until the buses arrive. Cities could also build environmentally controlled bus stops to keep out the weather elements.
Perhaps these buses, vans, and SUVs could come equipped with caution lights so it can be used as a school bus as well. This could create the opportunity for schools and cities to combine vehicle purchases.
Baby boomers are aging. Soon many of these baby boomers will not be able to drive. Small vehicles could be used to transport aging baby boomers from homes to grocery stores, pharmacy stores, doctors’ offices and back to homes. The elderly could simply call an 800 number indicating when they need a bus for transport. A small bus could be sent when a small group of riders are in need of a vehicle in their area. This would be a great opportunity for the elderly to meet other people riding these vehicles.
A system of bike rental stations could be set up at both ends of major bus or train stops. People could rent a bike from home to the station. Leave their bikes, ride the train or bus. Then pick up another bike at the other end of major train or bus stops.
Cities should do a survey of its citizens to find where they live, where they work, and the times of their work. A computer program could then calculate how many large and small size buses; vans and SUVs would be needed to transport people. Therefore, making riding the bus more convenient.
Create a GPS system with timers to contact riders when a bus, van, or SUV is near to pick up the rider. The information could be forwarded to riders’ cell phones. This way the rider can approximate when to get ready and know how much more time the vehicle is about to arrive.
These changes can make riding the mass transit more efficient. This could increase rider ship on the bus system; therefore, decrease our dependency on foreign oil. In addition, if more hybrid buses, vans, SUVs and bikes were made, more jobs would be created manufacturing these vehicles.
Then we all win.