 |
HOVER Feasibility Study One Step CloserA meeting involving representatives from the Ministry of Transport for Ontario, the City of Toronto, GO Transit, the Toronto Transit Commission, the Town of Markham, and Trip Convergence Ltd at the MTO offices in Downsview agreed to develop a specification for a feasibility study that will include consideration of the innovative HOVER System for flexible carpooling. |
Would you like us to tell you when there is new HOVER News? If so, please register here. |
HOVER Feasibility Study One Step Closer
| TORONTO ~ 15 January 2007 ~ A meeting today involving representatives from the Ministry of Transport for Ontario, the City of Toronto, GO Transit, the Toronto Transit Commission, the Town of Markham, and Trip Convergence Ltd at the MTO offices in Downsview agreed to develop a specification for a feasibility study that will include consideration of the innovative HOVER System for flexible carpooling. While the study will look broadly at strategies for raising the level of ride sharing in the Greater Toronto Area, the meeting was called to consider the proposal by Trip Convergence Ltd to look into the HOVER System. Trip Convergence is seeking locations for beta testing of it’s innovation. Trip Convergence observed that the Province is seen as progressive for the network of carpool parking lots and HOV lanes that it is developing. However, the use of the carpool parking lots still requires organisation of individual carpools by participants, and has the inflexibility normally associated with carpooling. The HOVER system provides flexibility by creating a community of up to 150 members with a similar commute who then carpool on an ‘order of arrival’ basis. “There is no such thing as ‘late’ in the HOVER system’ according to the animation of the system that Trip Convergence showed during the meeting. The target of the new system would be single occupant vehicle drivers who would carpool if there was a flexible system that met their varying travel time requirements. The HOVER system achieves that goal. Information about the system can be seen at www.hoverport.org. The group will develop a specification for the feasibility study and seek funding once the cost is known. Other agencies and municipalities will also be asked to join in the initiative. It is expected that applications for funding will be made to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Green Municipal Fund and other agencies interested in cleaner air, reduced congestion, and reduced fuel consumption. End . |
