On Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:22:49 -0700 (PDT), MIG
wrote:

Does the use of GPS have implications for Oyster and flat fares?

Not under the current Mayoral regime as I don't see Ken removing flat
fares.

However I think GPS or something similar is used in Singapore to
determine bus position relative to bus stops and this triggers the card
readers to become active and able to read and write to cards. This is
because Singapore has entry and exit validation on bus. Works very well
to be honest but that's as much a cultural phenomenon as a technological
one. TfL are proposing a new form of bus ticket machine that will act
as a technology hub linked into new radio and I-Bus. There is some
mammoth document on the TfL website that lists all of the projects in
the next Business Plan and this is in it. It could form the backbone of
allowing exit validation and distance based charging.

If you were feeling particularly nasty you could infer that the lack of
mention of fares policy in Boris's manifesto and the proposed
reintroduction of conductors could presage a return to some form of
distance based fare in London. On the face of it Mr Paddick's "I hour
and as many changes as you like" ticket must presumably be flat within
whatever area it applies in. From what little I've read about it that
policy was off the back of shortening routes that run in to Zone 1 and
forcing people to change buses - a recipe for failure if ever I read one
given the long established travel patterns on core routes into Zone 1.

--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!