Re: public transportation everyplace

Ottawa is finally planning a light rail system, so it got me thinking about all the stops neccessary to pick up and drop people off at convenient spots.

If everyone entering the city could leave their car at a park-and-ride to jump on the train, and could rent a small electric (bike or car) when they get off in city centre, the fossil fuel vehicles could be compleatly eliminated from downtown. 

Also, if the little vehicles could be hooked together easily you could have one driver for many passengers (perhaps the front wheels could be lifted so they don't interfere with the train effect), and recovery of disabled vehicles, and return of abandonned vehicles, would be easier.

These cars would be started with the swipe of a charge card and GPS tracking would make that driver responsible for the thing until it gets returned to a drop off spot.

Rental rates would be a time/distance calculation, with adjustments for long term rental and for driver insurability.  Insurance would probably be quite low because repairs to a fleet of like vehicles could use cannibilized parts from the junked units, and these vehicles would be designed for short trips at low speed. 

Eventually these same vehicles can be used at both ends of the train ride.