An Idea I posted to Google.org

Any ideas how I could get Googles attention better with this Idea as I think this idea would greatly benefit our great and awesome God PG!

An idea I posted to Google.
Google Carpool:
With all the talk about global warming, greenhouse gasses and alternate fuels this is an idea that will give Google credit for saving our country Billions of dollars and helping solve our energy problem.

Say next time I go to Google Maps for directions I see a link that
reads: "Need a ride to work? Want to help the environment? - Click here"
So I click it and it ask for where I work. Then it tells me that there is not yet a group set up but that I can register my own vehicle to give rides to others. I register my Car and send an email to HR and they forward it to everyone. As the company opens the dynamic link in the email it automatically knows they are charter employees and each person enters their address or the area code where they live and the hours that they come and go. Now we have built networks of people in different areas and for every person who registers their car they are asked how many passengers they can carry and a route is generated using Google maps/directions for their morning commute.

Now what happens is this becomes viral and we have set up about twenty carpools across the company. Each car pool may take an additional four people off the road. So less cars on the road equals less gas burned and less traffic. We are also getting to know co-workers and getting to work earlier.

Next is reporting. Each month we get a report (with targeted cuopons and adds for breakfast places along our route) detailing how much money, gas and pollution we saved. Each carpool participant would pay a nominal fee through their Google account to re-imburse the cost of gas and car maintenence. This saves them money. At the end of the year they get a tax deduction statement to write off their spendings for work purposes. Companies could optional pay for this and get the tax write off.

Tell me what you think of my idea!

Sounds good, but it`s already done.

It`s called bus.

Seriously, though, organising carpools like this is a nasty task, and is worse, then you think. What if someone does not needs car today, but neglects to mention that? What if someone just got lazy, and didn`t put on shirt in time? And million others what-ifs.

Trick with carpool is, that it usually occurs between at least semi-formal people, who work at the same place. And frankly, it would be WAY too tough to arrange routes in such a way to cover everyone, and not deny service to anyone, but still provide relatively unburdened cars.

Frankly, it would be a better idea to bother your municipal services for additional bus line, if there`s a lot of people requiring a particular route... Or, just do carpools the old way, between close-living workbuddies.

P.S. I forgot. Another good idea is to chip together, and hire one bus (like a schoolbus) to make round in the morning, and gather all of you employees of one company, and then another round in evening, to get you all home.

Frankly, thou hath little faith! Lookest thou on ridefinder and transit!
I know it would be difficult to organize but Google can do it!. Also it would be great for the earth, and Google would be interested.

If someone doesn't need the car and they neglects to mention it, then they buy starbucks for everybody the next morning or ride in the trunk! Seriously though it wouldn't be that huge of a deal.

If someone doesn't put on shirt in time, they get a small window of a grace period and then they get left behind. I don't see the issue there either.

Frankly the routes would be simple through Google directions, covering "everyone" would not be neccesary, because if one area only had 2 or three people that wanted to carpool they could. And if a carpool wasn't available in your area, well somebody should volunteer.

Buses are not direct and in most cities, public transport sucks(mine included)! Furthermore with Googles awesome and mighty powers I bet you could even work overtime and just "transfer" into another carpool if you needed to (and they had room)

The main thing in your response that concernes me is that you say "Or, just do carpools the old way, between close-living workbuddies". What does that have to do with organizing the world's information and making it universally accessible and useful.

Usefullness?

It`s pretty widely known, that people, who don`t maintain at least semi-formal relationships, nor try to, usually don`t get along with each other.

Ever been in car with people who hate each other? Not fun.

And since both of them "pay" for this, neither will quit, making everyone else quit in the end.

This is why I say that charter buses are healthier then carpools - they don`t force people who dislike each other in close proximity.

Frankly, if you`d replace this "car" idea in carpool with minivan busses, then it`ll be fairly useful and good service. As long as there are enough of people in the neighborhood to need a minivan (say, eight), there you go. In this space, it`s possible to keep the comfort distance, should the need arrive.

I get that you see some obsticles and I appreciate the objective eye, but none of these possible drawbacks outweigh the potential benefit.

I get along fine with people I don't even know, by not getting to know them. If people don't want to talk or get along they can be quiet, bring their iPods or switch carpools.

People are going to fight on busses, in minivans, in traffic and across cubicles so proximity is not really an issue. And they are not really paying for the service they are splitting the cost, like splitting cab fare. If they want to bail, they can, no problem. Ever ride in a taxi with a stranger? Ever been on a bus where there was somebody you didn't want to know? This is the risk you take and the price you pay for pitching in to help the earth.

Also carpools don't have to include cars, they any kind of automobile. The point is people would volunteer whatever they have. If you thought somebodies breath stunk or their car was funky, cool. Don't ride. I think having a portal to organize this for people who wanted to take advantage would be a great service to the earth. Not to mention Google gets the glory for helping combat global warming! Praise Google!

Any idea how I could get Googles attention better to present my idea?

[punkinside]

Well, if anyone could do it, it would be Google. But I don't think its their responsibility. People should organize those types of carpools on their offices with REAL PEOPLE.

And I would agree that its better to try and revamp the public transport system. If yours "sucks" then try to pressure authorities to make it better. Getting 60 strangers into a bus is much better than 4 into a car.

It is a good idea but there are better ones

Well, to each it`s own. Frankly, I imagine, that there would be more hassle with the people volunteering their vehicles, then it`s worth it.

What if someone has no vehicle to volunteer? If they get in, what stops people from not volunteering their vehicles, but just "paying the fare" and riding someone else`s?

It`s all is based on the people being decent beings, frankly. But if it`s available publically, and not on friend-to-friend basis, then all the jerks will get into it first, I believe.

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Honestly, I think that the idea of chartering buses and revamping the public transportation will be much more cost-effective.

Sorry.

I think it's a bad idea, but for a different reason. Imagine, for a second, that you're a rapist or a homocidal maniac or anybody of that kind. Now, imagine hearing about a great service where you can get complete strangers into your car/under your control. I can imagine a lot of creeps/psychopaths signing up for something like this, and with no monitoring system, the idea just falls through. Too much hastle, too many risks, and too implausible.

I thought the same thing as Aaron. I think it's a really cool idea BUT I doubt it would be popular simply because most people are really anti-social. Personally I'm extremely extroverted and would absolutely sign up, but most people have a problem with strangers. Minus the stranger factor and it's a really good idea... Social network for car-poolers... hmmm.

Come on, Method... I could be your carmate. Just imagine that. ^_^

Scary, huh?

The idea would work great, if Google could separate workers from one company, and putting them together in cars - this would`ve been pretty easy on stranger factor (people in company are usually at least formally-aware of each other).