Finland's Algorithm-Driven Public Bus 123
Daniel_Stuckey writes "Where's the Uber-like interactivity for getting a bus to come to you after a tap on your cell phone? In Finland, actually. The Kutsuplus is Helsinki's groundbreaking mass transit hybrid program that lets riders choose their own routes, pay for fares on their phones, and summon their own buses. It's a pretty interesting concept. With a ten-minute lead time, you summon a Kutsuplus bus to a stop using the official app, just as you'd call a livery cab on Uber. Each minibus in the fleet seats at least nine people, and there's room for baby carriages and bikes. You can call your own private Kutsuplus, but if you share the ride, you share the costs — it's about half the price of a cab fare, and a dollar or two more expensive than old school bus transit. You can then pick your own stop, also using the app."
Socialism run amok (Score:4, Funny)
Hi! (Score:5, Funny)
I'm Jonnie cab!
Re:Innovation comes from all places but the USA? (Score:3, Funny)
Well, let's suppose that the innovation had come from the USA. The first thing the media would want to know is did a black or jewish person come up with the innovation. Next they would want to know what impact this will have on the economically disadvantaged. Next what kind of liability issues this innovation will entail. If this innovation is going to be competing against another well entrenched business, you can bet the entrenched interests will lobby local governments to get the 'innovation' quashed. So yes innovation does not come from the USA.
Heck you can't even really compare the USA to Finland. If Finland were to suddenly be magically transported into the heart of the USA, you would have 10000 lawyer and politicians descending on the new state of Finland, and demanding why the entire states is so backwards and racists. There just isn't enough diversity in the state. There would immediately be enacted a series of laws that would withhold / take away money from Finland untill it became more ethnically diverse.
Neat (Score:2, Funny)
They should do the same thing with trains.
This is discriminating (Score:2, Funny)
A system can not be "public" if it is discriminating against people who don't carry mobile phones that can run the app that is required.
Re:Socialism run amok (Score:4, Funny)