How a letter travels is analogous to each driver traveling their own unique route instead of traveling together for efficiency.  Today most of us are using something similar to a high priced courier service where each individual travels non stop directly from point A to Point B.  Passenger Energy would enable us to take advantage of lower priced delivery options.

If you look at the major shipping carriers, they include:

• US Postal Service – handles more than 44% of the daily mail volume

• UPS – the primary package carrier for Ground delivery

• FedEx – “When it absolutely has to be there overnight”

• DHL/Airborne – door-to-door express service for world wide delivery

• Courier Services – special services and same day rush deliveries

Can you imagine sending every piece of mail via Courier Services instead of all the other options?  The cost and inefficiency would be staggering.  Can we somehow apply the genius of our shipping systems to the problem of commuter traffic?

photo credit: divemasterking2000

More than 700 million pieces of mail are sorted and delivered by the US Postal Service each delivery day, so how does a letter travel?

1. Deposit a letter in a collection box
2. Mail is collected at the local post office and sent to a mail processing plant
3. At the processing plant, a machine rapidly separates by shape and applies a postmark
4. Each letter is then identified with a barcode representing the address
5. Mail is then further sorted into ranges of zip codes
6. The sorted mail is then placed on airplanes to move across the country
7. Once at the destination airport, it is moved to another mail processing plant that splits the mail to the branch or post office that will deliver the letter
8. The mail is then further split to individual carriers are sorted in delivery order
9. Finally the mail carrier makes the delivery

If people could travel the bulk of their trip with ride sharing, then mass transit could cover the last 10-20%.  We just need an efficient way to group rides and allow passengers to travel together for a greatly improved transportation system.

Imagine you are heading to NYC.  You see someone waiting at a stop and you provide them with a ride.  It does not cost you anything.  They get a faster ride (no stops) and pay you less than a typical bus ride.  You both win and so does the environment.

photo credit: kimberlyfaye

In order for Pay4Rides to be a viable solution, there would have to be additional incentive for individuals to change their current transportation habits.  What if people were willing to pay for a ride?  Passengers could save money on their commutes while drivers could reduce their own costs by charging for rides.  A simple exchange of cash could make the idea of ride sharing much more attractive.

What would it take for you (driver) to stop and pick up a passenger(s)?  

1. the potential to earn cash for every ride you provide
2. safety would be a major concern
3. contributing to a cleaner world
4. reduce traffic

What would it take for you (rider) to accept a ride? 

1. safety, convenience and comfort
2. saving money
3. contributing to a cleaner world
4. getting things done while someone else drives
5. extending the life of your own vehicle

There are so many benefits for all of us.  Don’t you think this idea is worth exploring?

photo credit: quaziefoto

Does the idea of accepting a ride from a stranger scare you?  If no, then Pay4Rides is for you.

If yes, then how do you feel about taxis?  Isn’t this the same thing?  Or does the fact that the driver has a cab license ease you concerns?  Then to make Pay4Rides a more acceptable way of ride sharing, we need to license both drivers and rides.  Peer ratings would help eliminate much of the uncertainty when dealing with “strangers”.
photo credit: dionhinchcliffe

I am sick of high gas prices and want to tell the Middle East we do not need their oil.

Not only do rising gas prices cost me every time I go to the pump, but they are impacting transportation costs of all goods and services.  The only way to reduce the cost is to reduce the demand. 

Pay4Rides is a concept that will dramatically cut our oil addiction and give us time to develop alternative solutions.  We have little or no control over supply so we all need to work together to reduce demand which would result in lower prices.  This is our chance to show the rest of the world how the American people can unite to solve this problem.

photo credit: slopjop