Oregon Should Become a World Leader in Developing Enlightened Community (EC) Systems
New Minternet (i.e. Mobile-Internet) - based EC Systems will enable towns, cities and counties around the world to: (1) reduce traffic congestion and many other transport-ation, energy and environmental problems; and (2) create a wide variety of new business, employment, education and recreation opportunities for local residents, at a low cost to both users and taxpayers.
The million dollars that the Meyer Memorial Trust (MMT) is making available to the "Ideas 4 Oregon" program could be used to attract millions of additional dollars from federal, state and local government agencies and from high-tech corporation to form a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) -- under one of several existing federal PPP programs -- that would develop and test these four core software packages for all EC Systems here in Oregon and license them for use throughout Oregon, other states and other countries.
These four core packages have already been designed using funds from the U.S. Depart-ments of Transportation and Energy and concepts developed in other countries. The EC Systems that use them will give ordinary citizens and their local business, government and community leaders new tools to help them make existing public transportation, education, economic development and other systems much more cost-effective.
Robert Behnke
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I am an Information Technology (IT) consultant with more than 50 years expereience designing and developing computer-based information systems for clients in business, government and industry. During the past 25 years I have specialized in designing Enlightened Community (EC) Systems, including Advanced Public Transportation Systems (APTS), as part of the federal government's multi-billion dollar, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) program.
I submitted this entry to the Meyer Memorial Trust (MMT) as part of an effort to create a new, multi-billion dollar, "green" industry in Oregon that would enable rural, urban and suburban communities -- throughout the world -- to use low-cost palmtop computers (including some "smart phones") and Minternet (e.g. WiMAX) services to improve the quality of life of their residents, at a low cost to both users and taxpayers.
In the brief description of my entry, I recommended using the MMT funds to form a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), under one of several federal PPP programs, to develop and test -- here in Oregon -- the four software packages that will be the foundation for all Minternet (i.e. Mobile-internet) EC-Systems. Let me provide more information on these four packages.
Package I will match would-be drivers and would-be riders in Smart Jitneys (also known as Single-Trip Carpools) to provide comfortable and convenient transportation services in corridors where and when bus and rail services do not make economic sense. Independent market research studies show that adding Smart Jitney services could make public transportation services much more cost-effective, particlarly in the low-density communities where most Oregonians and most Americans now live and work.
Package 2 will integrate Smart Jitneys with conventional transit and paratransit (e.g. taxis, dial-a-ride minibuses, shuttles, carpools, vanpools), using an approach that was developed in Germany. Independent market research studies show that this could reduce the use of Single-Occupant Vehicles (SOVs), traffic congestion, gasoline consumption, air pollution, parking and mobility problems, at a far lower cost than building new lanes of highway or adding conventional bus and rail transit services. It could also significantly reduce the cost of the proposed new Interstate Bridge on I-5 between Oregon and Washington. (Note that; (a) the use of SOVs for commuting; (b) traffic and parking congestion; and (c) taxpayer subsidies for public transportation have increased dramatically in the Portland area since 1980, just before the addition of new rail services .
Package 3 will provide billing and collection services for Smart Jitney transportation services and for any individual, company or government agency that wants to use the community's EC System to provide Minternet-based goods or services to its residents.
France used this approach in its Minitel system to create millions of new jobs throughout the country.Package 4 will also make communities that use it much "greener". No more details are available at this time, because of possible patent issues, unless I receive a non-disclosure form from a would-be reader.
