Privatized Mass Transit

If you've travelled in developing countries, chances are you've seen shared taxis. Depending on the country they range from safe and efficient to incredibly dangerous, and in their best cases provide an example for a system of privatized mass transit that could be adopted to supplement automobiles and the traditional mass transit systems in the developed world.

One example that bears holding up: the Sherut of Israel. These vans are privately owned and operated and supplement the extensive traditional bus system. Some operate on fixed routes, both inter- and intra- city, and they often will deviate to accommodate a drop-off. They have every incentive to respond instantly to the market, and they do. You want to get picked on this corner and go to that super-market? Sure. The bus service is offering a fare discount on Thursdays? We'll beat it.

Used in conjunction with other approaches, our cities could greatly reduce traffic congestion and improve their mass transit systems without massive public investment simply by licensing private shared taxis.