Big City Transportation

My blow-dryer died yesterday and there was a power outage on the subway train this morning! So, I got to work late, looking like a mad woman with fuzzy hair!

Toronto's Subway system is the main means of transportation for people who work and live downtown. As soon as the power went out, people crowded the streets looking for cabs. In about 10 minutes, Yonge Street (longest street in Canada) was jammed!

The good person that I am, I let others take the first two cabs that I flagged down. The third one was mine! There were still a lot of people looking for one. Some were even throwing themselves in front of the cabs to hunt one!

As my driver was trying to avoid the individuals waving at him in the middle of the road, he told me that in Washington DC, you pay for your own seat in the cab and the blocks that you travel. i.e fare= f( n. of seats, n. of blocks) ha ha ha

That ofcourse reminded me of my cab rides back home from Vanak to Azadi or Tajrish to Vali-Asr.

It only makes sense. In a big city where there is no shortage of passengers, it is to everyone's benefit to fill each cab with 2,3 or even 4 passengers at a time. Customers save money, driver makes more money, traffic is lighter and faster, meaning less pollution!

The only downside is the effort that goes into organizing the zones, blocks, etc. (and that I can do in my sleep!!!)

What do you think?