Luxury paratransit commuting
Many years ago I published a paper entitled ‘The Paratransit Light Vehicle.’ It examined ride-sharing schemes in several world cities. These included the Philippine jeepneys, the Argentine colectivos, the Turkey dolmus, the Israeli sheruts and others. My proposal was that a luxury version of this might do much to alleviate congestion and pollution in UK cities, while making it easier for people to commute into work.
The proposal was that a luxury minibus could be booked for a monthly fee to pick commuters up at their homes and deliver them one by one to their places of work. They would feature first class airline-type seats with view screens, WiFi, and have hot drink facilities onboard, plus a selection of daily newspapers. The norm might be a 10-12 seater.
The idea was that by offering a premium yet shared alternative to private cars, these luxury vehicles could encourage car owners to leave their vehicles at home. This would help lower the number of vehicles on the road, reducing congestion.
Many commuters rely on cars because public transport does not cover the ‘last mile’ to their workplace or home. A flexible, luxury minibus service could bridge this gap efficiently, reducing the need for private cars in city centers.
Smaller luxury commuter buses could use dedicated bus and taxi lanes, ensuring quicker travel times. If well-integrated with city transport systems, they could also be allowed priority at junctions, reducing their contribution to congestion.
An app-based, demand-responsive system could optimize routes in real-time, reducing unnecessary stops and dead mileage while maximizing occupancy. This would make commutes more efficient than fixed-route, half-empty buses or private car travel.
Fewer cars on the road means less demand for parking spaces in dense urban areas, freeing up land for better uses such as green spaces, cycling infrastructure, or pedestrian zones.
The "luxury" aspect—comfortable seating, Wi-Fi, and a stress-free ride—could attract professionals who might otherwise drive. By providing a comfortable, productive commuting option, these services could provide a preferred choice.
A well-utilized fleet of luxury light vehicles, especially if electric or hybrid, would significantly reduce per-person emissions compared to single-occupancy vehicles. This would help UK cities meet their air quality targets.
While the journey into work would be predictable, some people leave work at different times, making the journey home less so. The solution might be to have some vehicles capable of being summoned by app to take commuters home in a different vehicle.
During the day, when not needed for commuting, the vehicles might be available as alternative taxis.
The one thing that could make this work would be to make the monthly cost to commuters a tax-deductible business expense. The Treasury would oppose this because they regard anything deductible as a ‘tax cost,’ without paying any regard to the benefits of such a scheme, or the cost savings in terms of reduced congestion and pollution, and the massive convenience it would provide for commuters.
It might be time to dust off this idea and give it a trial run in a few cities to see how it works in practice.
Madsen Pirie