[humanrebar]

> In the future I see a fleet of larger vehicles combined with a Uber Pool type app working really well.

This already exists. Or it existed anyway. NYC used to have "Chinatown buses" that ran underserved routes for a fraction of the price. NYC and the MTA prosecuted them and got rid of them. Furthermore, innovation and competition in busing is great in Latin America.

But we're waiting on regulations to change, not for innovation to happen.

I agree that a fleet of self driving mini buses sounds great for efficiency and even housing prices (the pool of commutable properties goes up and the price of rent goes down). Even a fleet of buses with drivers that are allowed to innovate on the business model (monthly subscriptions? scheduled pickup windows? flex pricing?) would be better than what the U.S. has now.

[macNchz]

'Dollar vans' are still very much a thing in NYC, you'll see them often if you know what to look for: http://projects.newyorker.com/story/nyc-dollar-vans/

[humanrebar]

Right. They should be legitimized and licensed so companies like Lyft can provide different features (wifi, extra clean vehicles, scheduled rides, all-you-can-ride plans, etc.) and different lines.

[objclxt]

> NYC used to have "Chinatown buses" that ran underserved routes for a fraction of the price. NYC and the MTA prosecuted them and got rid of them

The implication in your comment seems to be that the MTA went after the Chinatown buses because they were anti innovation and competition.

I'm not sure if you ever took the Fung Wah bus from Boston to NYC, but one reason the DoT and MTA worked so hard to get rid of them was they had a tendency to burst into flames by the side of the road.

[humanrebar]

And yet people in outer burroughs and Jersey still have really long commutes and unacceptable bus service. NYC and the MTA weren't as interested in replacing the Chinatown buses with safer options or otherwise improving the safety standards.