I thought of a few things that I have thought of related to the Columbia River Crossing..
Why could we not use Ride Share with a background check system? Use a reputation based app on a cell phone and have it also based on facebook - social media connection? If someone is going in the same area as you, why not share the gas?
What happens if you have less than ten people in the same area going to an employment center in Portland or Washington County? Why can't we have a metro-wide solution of private vans operating? With the same type of cell phone app? And not leaving a van sitting idle in a parking lot when people are working eight to ten hours and then drives home?
Why can there there be multiple uses - users?
I know of the incentives from Washington State (though I have a feeling that Oregon might?) to make the transportation system better. And not require a new bridge like the Columbia River Crossing. No, I know that the different metropolitan transit agencies in the area may not like this idea since it is competition.
But if we need, we can offer special rides for the disabled if they do not fit these special vans. I know of one or two local taxi cab companies that operating in Portland and Vancouver that would just LOVE this business!
I do not care if the local transit agencies forms an inter-local agreement like they have now for transit service and light rail use in Portland for the Number 4, 65 and 44 to Jantzen Beach and Delta Park and the express service they offer from all of the different bus transit centers on this side of the river.
So I am just trying to get a conversation started? Why waste several billion dollars on this idea?
