The underutilized scalability of brilliant ideas

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neotoy

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Published on June 11, 2008 2:23:02 AM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1AD_Kv15RQ

Duration: 8:12

679 views

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My original notes on this idea:
Proactive networks, using the spare time and spare space in commuter vehicles to transport goods. Distributed power. pay them for space and time to offset fuel costs, very economical.

Relevant links:

Bram Cohen's Journal:
http://bramcohen.livejournal.com/

Official BitTorrent Site:
http://www.bittorrent.com/

Super Trains:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/transportation/4232548.html?page=1

Cost of converting entire U.S. to electric cars? Zero:
http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/philg/2008/05/27/cost-of-converting-entire-us-to-electric-cars-zero/

Smart Jitney:
http://www.communitysolution.org/rideshare.html

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This video is all about an idea I had that was inspired by another video about transportation networks.

The key component involves all the excess space presently wasted in the majority of privately owned cars and trucks utilized by chronic commuters.

Every day millions of Americans drive millions of combined miles; essentially driving a huge vehicle capable of transporting a significant amount of cargo. Even when carpooling there is still trunk, rack, and bed space available to be used for transporting goods.

Why not put these "commuters" to work AND help them offset their fuel costs at the same time?

Trucking companies could dramatically lower their costs by using computer generated models to more efficiently analyze and diversify shipping routs, in other words line up these routs with willing privately owned vehicles that are already traveling from point A to point B every day, and then contract them for a small commission to run a simplified cargo rout.

They wouldn't have to make door to door deliveries, just drop off the goods at a centralized shipping hub before going to work. This idea takes advantage of all the physical "upload" bandwidth available in modern interstate networks, just like BitTorrent does with digital information.

Apply this elegant model to the interstate and residential system and you have a winning combination. Many people today have GPS systems built into their vehicles which would make this option even more practical.

Ultimately my deeper reasoning behind this strategy is to make a preemptive strike against the very real potential of a future fuel crisis. If diesel becomes too expensive for truck drivers, it would mean nothing less than a national emergency that could bring the entire US to its knees in matter of days.

With a more diversified network it would at least be possible to maintain food and water supplies for a significant period of time during the event of such a crisis, before gasoline also becomes too expensive for the core infrastructure to afford. Perhaps enough time to mass produce efficient electric vehicles, or install a high-speed national rail network.