Traveling Sense Idea – Save Time and Gas When Driving

Yes, I anticipate at least one objection to this blog.  The objection is that people are on a schedule that they have to work around, such that changing when one drives is not an option.  If that is the case with you, then this blog is not for you, as this blog assumes that some people have flexibility in their travel time.

For those that have a flexible schedule, it may be a good idea to create a data base.  For example, at any given time you could figure when is the best time to travel, especially one those long trips, such that you don’t spend an hour or more in traffic, when if you had just left at a different time it would have been smooth sailing.

What I am suggesting for the database is that for everyone who thinks that they might be traveling to enter their trip into a database.  Naturally, not everyone would enter every trip they make.  However, for those that did enter their time in the database, and there was proof that the person traveled, there could be a payment made to a database user as incentive to use the database.  Also, based upon average amount of people making a database entry and usual traffic times an estimate could be given.

Naturally, even though there was a financial kick back for letting the system know when you are going to be on the road not everyone will participate.  There is no need to pass legislation that mandates that every driver should enter every trip.

So how will this be paid for?  For one, it could partly be paid for by advertising, but for two, because people would be able to determine optimal times of travel, such as the best times, the better times, and the worst times.  I would suggest that people would naturally want to know how they might alter their route to save gas.  The information for how much gas a car consumes based upon year, make, and model is largely known.  My thoughts are that for the most of us, if we were given incentive to travel at times when traffic is not at its peak, it would not only ease rush hour, but there would be even extra savings for consuming less gas!

In fact, one way we could have this system pay for itself is to have a computer estimate travel times based upon various conditions, such as when their might be delays.  So, by consuming less gas, a lesser demand for oil would be placed on gas companies at the pump.  Thus, by lowering demand, theoretically, the price of gas should fall.  Even though it might fall just a bit, that bit should be able to be detected, and that gas saved could be used as money kickback replacement for those willing to travel at non-peak hours.