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Decades ago, all you needed to hitch a ride was a wayward thumb and a willingness to walk a few miles. Today, thanks to text messaging, cell phones, and advanced computer networks, hitchhiking is making a comeback—sans the sketchy side effects of picking up a stranger.
Goose Networks is a forerunner in wireless hitchhiking. It helps members literally pimp their rides to nearby pedestrians who need a lift along their planned route. Big employers in Seattle and Boston are piloting the Goose plan (think: “birds of a feather flock together”). Employers engage in real-time ride sharing by sending a text message to the system’s main computer, which then searches for a ride along the rider’s designated route. The service, funded by the employer, is free for both the rider and the driver, and drivers are compensated for a fair fraction of gas and mileage costs. If Goose and its compatriots enjoy success on this scale, they plan to take their text messaging carpools for a longer, grander ride.
Goose reduces emissions and, for many commuters, dependence on cars. Motor vehicles are hardly good for the planet, regardless of how many passengers they carry, but a packed back seat is better than a single passenger behind the wheel. Goose and its compatriots offer a real, salable solution to creating a more sustainable, eco-friendly, and convenient commute.
For more on the nitty gritty of how Goose works, read this review by the Seattle Times.
Sources: Goose Networks, Seattle Times, and Sightline Daily.
Photos via flickr by Gregory Williams and massdistraction.
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