FR2776804A1 - Organization and operation of collective use of taxis for urban roads - Google Patents

Abstract

The urban transport system forms a reference system based on multiple beacons, each with a distinct marking, distributed over the road network served by the transport system. These beacons mark a potential stop for each vehicle. A transit program is recorded for each user, and the route of each vehicle planned to pick up or drop passengers at the start or finish of their journey.

Description

1- The present invention relates to a method of organization, and

  operating, motor vehicle networks, intended for the collective transport of people,

  in urban agglomeration, and which can be classified in the category of trans-

ports in common.

  It is known that the movement of people in urban agglomerations faces increasing organizational difficulties, due in particular to the proliferation of cars, which saturate traffic lanes, such as

  parking lots, and too often cause pollution.

  The development of electric vehicles can have beneficial effects on the environment, but the fact remains that the number of passenger cars used for travel within built-up areas, often with only one

  person on board, became excessive.

  Incentives to carpool have only a limited effect, which is largely due to individualism and the difficulties of cooperation between people;

  but also to the great diversity and variability of the travel programs-

each.

  Walking, like riding a bicycle, can be encouraged by

  the creation of pleasant protected routes, but it will remain essential

  sand to be able to offer motorists, who circulate in the city, other means of transport, fast enough and attractive so that they leave voluntarily

  their car in the garage, or in a relay car park, at the gates of the city.

  Close to major traffic routes, public transport

  traditional (metro, bus, trams, ...) which run according to standard routes

  blis, have a number of relatively loyal followers; but, as soon as we

  deviates a little from a major axis, and it becomes necessary to take a cor-

  correspondence, to undergo an additional wait, to travel too long to

foot ..., many are discouraged.

  It is likely, on the other hand, that a public transport network, capable of offering everyone the route that suits them, at the moment they request it, and without requiring more time than with a private car, could be attractive if

the cost is not excessive.

  It will be agreed that a partial response already exists, in most agglomerations.

  rations, with taxi services: but we note that their organization

  more often than not, suitable for individual or occasional care

  in the care of small groups of people having to -2-

  take the same route together.

  Thus we generally observe, with traditional taxi services, that the number of people transported, in relation to the kilometers traveled, remains

  weak and little different from that for passenger cars.

  Various attempts have already been made to organize taxi services, sometimes called "collective taxis", capable of bringing together, in the same vehicle, several people traveling independently of each other but having to

  go to the same place, or in the same direction.

  These groupings, which make it possible to reduce the number of vehicles in circulation, and to share the cost of transport between several people, are relatively

  easy to organize when they concern trips between 2 very frequent points

  quentés of the same agglomeration, such as a bus station and a railway station

  road, a large hotel and an airport, a peripheral car park and the City Center,

  but it is no longer the same as soon as one seeks to extend the system to no

  which movement is from any point to any other point in the city. The organization of carpooling services could however be justified, in the case of agglomerations of a certain size, if we base ourselves on the number of people who, during peak hours, move simultaneously, but most

  often independently of each other, in the same direction, and then

  touting, more or less, the same route; so that it would appear pos-

  likely to propose to several of these people to come together in the same vehicle

  cule, which would take a route acceptable to all, while the stops

  would be to the liking of each.

  We can see that the number of people concerned, and the number of groups-

  elements that one could constitute thus, would be all the larger as one

  would increase the number of vehicles involved and the variety of routes.

  Ultimately, and on condition of accepting more modest groupings, during the

  off-peak hours, or in areas with little traffic, it's a whole city-

  ration that could be affected.

  The organization of such a carpooling service, however, comes up against multiple diff-

  difficulties that should be mastered: The spirit of independence is one of the difficulties, but we can expect a

  positive development, favored by a better awareness of the

  venenents generated by the excessive use, in the city, of private cars.

-3-

  On the other hand, we can expect current developments in the means of

  munication, with mobile telephony and advances in telematics, a better approach to relationship problems, as already implemented by a number of taxi services, equipped, at their operational center, with a computer capable to receive calls directly from

  customers, and pass them on to this or that available vehicle.

  However, in the case of a carpooling organization, data processing would be in a much more complex form than when it is a question, for a traditional taxi service, of orchestrating a set of simultaneous races.

  or successive, relatively independent of each other.

  In the case of carpooling, it would indeed be necessary to take into account not only the point of care; but also of the destination of the applicant, and to compare each individual request, with the travel program of the various vehicles in service, so as to select the one which would present the

  best possible fit, taking into account other passengers.

  These adaptations would also require precise knowledge, at all times, of the situation, within the conurbation, of each vehicle in service, and of

all the details of his program.

  The selection work should be extremely fast, not only to avoid

  not keep the user waiting, but so that the data concerning each vehicle

  cule practically do not evolve during the time of research.

  A contribution would seem to be able to be made to the organization of such a public transport service, permanently adaptable to user requests, by

  the process which is the subject of this request, and, as described below.

  The process is characterized by the use of a referential system of coded beacons, distributed at a fixed post throughout the city, along the traffic lanes, and serving as a common reference: for the movement of vehicles,

  which would go from tag to tag, to their position, by reference to the code of the last-

  re beacon detected, and the travel program for each user, defined by

  the code of the starting tag and that of the destination tag.

  The method would also use a set of known technical means, organized into a system, which would essentially be: - A fleet of light motor vehicles, of the minibus type or similar, designed for the collective transport of people, each with a driver

edge.

  - 4- The number of vehicles available would be significant, so that they can be

  assigned simultaneously to a multitude of different and variable routes, matching

  tis at the instant demand of the users, and continuously shaped by this demand. These vehicles would preferably be self-propelled or electrically propelled.

me, on accumulator batteries.

  - A classic urban road infrastructure, open to car traffic

  mobile, or accessible, at least, to public transport, with fitted avoidance zones, at the level of each potential stopping point, for the

rise or fall of users.

  It is at each of these potential stopping points that would be installed

  marker tags each having a different identification code.

  In principle, there would be at least one beacon per street element, between two

  successive crossroads, in each direction of traffic.

  Identification could be facilitated by the installation, on each beacon, of a transmitter-indicator of its distinctive code, easily perceptible from vehicles when they approach; or conversely by installing, at the right of each tag, a means of detecting the specific code of each of the

  vehicles in the network, as soon as this vehicle enters its field of action.

  We will return later to the implementation of these tracking devices, essential

  thinkable for the good organization of the network.

  - An operational center, which would be linked by radio to the various vehicles on the network, and, equipped to centralize the calls of users awaiting support. This Operational Center would be provided with all the necessary IT resources, and in particular with a Central Computer,

  of a capacity adapted to the extent and importance of the network, linked to land

  or peripheral computers on board each vehicle, and which

  could therefore call "On-board computer".

  The Operational Center, assisted by the Central Computer, would have the functions

  to monitor and orchestrate the operation of the network, throughout the agglomeration-

  tion, and in particular: * to follow, memorize, and update, as they evolve, with the assistance of on-board computers, the "route programs" of each of the vehicles in service, by hearing here by "route program", the succession of beacons at the right of which the vehicle concerned -5- would have received the mission to pass, and to stop, to pick up and drop passengers. * to centralize the calls of the users who ask to be taken care of,

  and who would simply have to specify for this: the distinctive code of the bali

  standby, the destination tag code, and the number of people involved. * to search for the vehicle best placed to provide this support, taking into account its instant location in relation to the waiting beacon, the compatibility of its route program with the destination beacon,

its capacity.

  * to stop choosing the vehicle, and to adapt its new "program of

  route ", in coordination with the on-board computer of this same vehicle.

  * to confirm, to the user who is waiting: the care agreement, the code available

  of the designated vehicle, and, if necessary, the approximate waiting time.

  - A means of appeal would be provided, as part of the organization of the network, to

  available to each user who requests support.

  This means of call, within reach of each user, could possibly be a simple telephone booth, a portable radiotelephone, or any other

  means, public or private, of telecommunications, available and usable near

immediate mite of each tag.

  Preferably, within the framework of the Process, provision would be made to make available

  position of users of special calling devices, more easily available

  permanently available, and better suited to operating the system. We can-

  could thus install, for example, next to each beacon, call devices

  with fixed station, connected by cable, or by radio, to the Operational Center.

  A preference would be given, however, for a better application of the Method, to portable devices, the size of an electronic diary, or a pocket calculator, capable of being linked, by radiocommunication,

  at the Operational Center and at the Central Computer.

  These special devices, made available to users, would include a message sender, intended for the Central Computer, making it possible to essentially specify the distinctive code of the two tags: waiting, and

  destination, as well as the number of passengers concerned in the case where the user

  ger would be accompanied by other people.

  One could also provide that each portable device is provided with a - 6-

  distinctive code which identifies the user.

  On the other hand, these portable devices could include a reception function.

  trice messages, which would confirm the agreement to take charge, specify the identification code of the vehicle chosen, and possibly also the approximate waiting time. Other functions, more or less interactive, could be envisaged

  then, for the duration of the care, between the on-board computer of the vehicle

  cule chosen, and the user's calling device. We will have the opportunity to come back to

  this point during the more detailed description of the various functions which

  should be assigned to the on-board computers.

  Incidentally, and using current means of data processing, and microelectronics, these portable calling devices could have in memory a detailed plan of the agglomeration, with directory of streets, squares, and localities, as well as the exact location of each tag, specifying its code

  distinctive; so that it suffices for the user: to give the address of his destination

  tion to know the code of the beacon closest to the point of arrival, or consult this directory to locate the beacon closest to its point of departure. - Peripheral computers, or terminals of the Central Computer, would be installed, as part of the Process, on board each of the vehicles in the network,

  and linked by radio to the Central Computer.

  These terminals, which it has been agreed to call "on-board computers", would be designed to provide an interactive or conversational link with the Central Computer, so as to be able to exchange reciprocal information between the vehicles and the Operations Center , and continually update the memory of the Central Computer, informed in real time on: * the situation of the vehicles in the urban area, in relation to the beacons, * the state of loading of the vehicles,

  * the progress of the route programs.

  It is conceivable that this information goes back from the vehicles, to the Operational Center, automatically, without having to involve the drivers, thanks to various known means of robotization, such as

  example that detectors and decoders, capable of locating vehicles

  cules in relation to the various tags, and linked by modem to the on-board computer. -7-

  Likewise, the possibility of establishing interactive links between the device

  tif a user's portable call, and the on-board computer of the vehicle designated to take charge of it, should facilitate the automatic recording of his getting into or out of the vehicle, and the instant retransmission of this information , for updating, in real time, the memory of the computer

central donor.

  We can easily see that this selective interactivity, over the duration of the

  support, between the on-board computer of a vehicle, and the device

  table of a user, can be used for different complementary functions

  such as: * Warning, for the user on standby, that the vehicle which is to pick it up

  in charge approaching the agreed beacon.

  * Validation of the care, when the user gets into the right vehicle

  runs, but <"alarm ,, in case of error.

  * Personal warning, to the passenger's address, when approaching his destination.

  * End of race validation, when the user leaves the vehicle.

  * Possible automatic accounting of the run.

  The on-board computer would receive take-over orders from the central computer and participate in the organization and monitoring of the route programs of the vehicle to which it is attached: * Recognition of the various beacons located on the route, * Notification of stops to pick up or drop off passengers, * Choice of direction to take, at each intersection, * Observation of a scheduled break,

  * Observation of a restart order.

  The driver of the vehicle could thus, at any time, refer to the screen of the on-board computer to check the rest of his program, but it is also conceivable that the on-board computer participates more actively in the information

  of the driver, through the operation of a guidance program allowing

  duire in the form of voice messages, and possibly by various other sound or light means, the sequence of operations to be carried out; so that the driver's attention remains sufficiently available for all that

affects traffic.

  However, in the event of any difficulty, due to an unforeseen event, it would be reserved for the driver to intervene in the running of the program, in conversational relation with the on-board computer and the central computer, or

  simply in "manual,>, to make all the necessary corrections.

  Part of the initiative could also be left to the drivers of vehicles.

  cules, in the choice of several possible routes, between two beacons o

stops are scheduled.

  - We will now come back to different possibilities of implementing tracking beacons, which constitute an essential element of the Process, both for

  define the vehicle route programs, only to adapt them to the pro-

  travel gram of each user.

  These beacons can be of different models and one could imagine, at the limit, simple signposts displaying a descriptive code; but it would then be necessary, to follow the movement of the vehicles, that the drivers themselves signal, at the Operational Center, the crossing of each

  tag, which would absorb their attention too much, and would waste time.

  It therefore seems preferable, for the operation of the Process, that the passage of a vehicle, in line with a beacon, be detected entirely automatically,

  and that the information is transmitted in real time to the central computer.

  In a possible embodiment, the tags could be equal

  for example, sensor-decoders capable of detecting the signal code

  letic of each vehicle of the network entering their control field, and

  to communicate this information to the Operational Center.

  In another embodiment, which can be considered as preferred.

  essential, but not exclusive or limiting, for the operation of the Process, it would be placed on each of the vehicles belonging to the network, a detection means

  beacons in front of which they pass, or even which they approach.

  One could imagine, for this purpose, a differentiation of the tags by an external sign, of the giant barcode type for example, with a reader on board.

  each vehicle, and a decoding and retransmission system to the computer

central donor.

  Another option, which will be considered preferential, would be to ins-

  install beacons capable of emitting their own distinctive code sign in their immediate vicinity, for example in the form of infrared signals, and equip each vehicle with an appropriate decoder sensor, linked by modem to the computer of edge. Various precautions would be taken, -9-

  in such a case, to avoid interference with neighboring beacons, in particular-

  on two-way traffic lanes, for example using screens

judiciously placed.

  - The programming software, of the Central Computer and on-board computers, would be designed in all the rules of the art desired, to optimize the various operating functions of the network, with the aim of obtaining:

  * Waiting as short as possible for users.

* Fast journeys.

  * Optimal vehicle filling rate.

  - As an example, without limitation, of application of the Process, we can imagine the case of a fictitious agglomeration of 400,000 inhabitants, occupying an area of

around 50 km2.

  We will admit that bypass routes already exist, and have a capacity

  city sufficient to efficiently absorb almost all single transit traffic; so that the traffic inside the agglomeration, like

  exchanges with the outside world are directly linked to the life of the inhabitants

  tants: work, trade, school, sport, and leisure relationships. It will also be assumed that the agglomeration already has a conventional structure of public transport, of the trolleybus and bus type, with a total of around twenty lines, transporting, on working days, around

200,000 passengers.

  It will be agreed that automobile traffic within the agglomeration has reached a critical level of saturation. We will admit, in fact, that the number

  passenger cars, used for trips in the ag-

  glomeration, is close to 300,000, each working day, and they then total more than 1 million kilometers traveled, to transport only

400,000 passengers.

  Thus, excluding cyclists and pedestrians, the total number of trips

  ment of people, within the agglomeration, would be around 600. 000

per working day.

  The basic assumption is that the average length of the displacements

  elements, in this agglomeration, is around 3.5 km, which requires approximately: * 10 to 15 minutes, with a private car, provided that traffic

- 10 -

  is fluid, and that we are lucky to have free parking spaces

  near the departure and arrival points.

  30 minutes, with traditional means of public transport,

  also provided that there is not too much congestion.

  The main objective, aimed at in the organization of a new public transportation network, would be a significant reduction in the number of motor vehicles in circulation, especially during peak hours, by seeking to gain the widest

  possible clientele of people who use their private car to get around

cer in the agglomeration.

  To this end, the new network, organized according to this Process, should offer

  to users: journeys as varied as necessary, and as direct as possible

  sible, adapted to the particular needs of each, and which hardly require

  more time, all inclusive, than traveling by private car.

  We would initially consider maintaining certain means of trans-

  existing common port, such as trolleybuses, on the main axes that they des-

  serve, since the infrastructure exists, and to continue to meet needs

  specific to a number of current users.

  Various buses, equipped with low-emission engines, could be integrated into the new network, organized according to the Method, to serve very busy, and relatively direct routes, such as connections between City Center and

  Business Centers, or with Relay Car Parks at the gates of the metropolitan area.

  Around an Operational Center, equipped with a Central Computer, the organizational network

  Processed would include:

  - 20,000 beacons, approximately, distributed over all the areas served by the ag-

  glomeration, at a rate of at least one beacon per street element, between 2 square

  successive ovens, in each direction of circulation.

  These beacons, which would each have a specific tracking code, would serve both as a potential stopping point for vehicles belonging to the network, and as a waiting or destination point for users. They would be distant, at most, a hundred meters, so that the user would

  little more than 50 meters to walk, both at the start and at the finish.

  The exact location of each beacon would be identified on a map of the agglomeration-

  ration, made available to users.

  11 - This plan would be sufficiently detailed, with indication of the directions of circulation, so that the user can easily choose the departure marker best situated, in relation to the direction he should take, as well as the most

  close to its point of arrival, in the normal direction of traffic.

  To this plan could be added a directory of streets, squares and places, which we would locate, according to a method that has become classic, in relation to a reference grid, dividing the agglomeration into several contiguous squares, 400 meters side by side. example, marked in their horizontal and vertical position

by a 2-letter acronym.

  Always with the aim of facilitating searches, the code identifying the different

  annuities tags could then be formed of a group of 2 letters followed by 2 numbers, the 2 letters being chosen according to the situation of the tag by

  compared to the same reference grid, while the 2 individual figures

  would be each of the beacons of the same group, inside each reference square, the number of beacons, in a square of 400 meters side, being

admitted as less than 100.

  It would be planned, for the present application, to equip each beacon with a transmitter-

  signal generator, with a range limited to around 30 meters, making it possible to diffuse them

  a service provider by their identification code; and equip each vehicle with a receiver

  decoder, linked by modem to an "on-board computer", terminal

  the Central Computer, so that the approach to each tag is self-

  matically detected and analyzed by vehicle on-board equipment,

  the information is simultaneously transmitted to the Operational Center.

  The situation of each vehicle in the agglomeration would be kept up to date, in the memory of the Central Computer, in real time, compared to the last beacon detected, that is to say within 100 meters near.

  - The network would include around 2000 vehicles, which one would choose, preferably

* Rence, with autonomous electric traction, on accumulator batteries.

  The capacity of the batteries would ensure, as far as possible, a range of around 130 kilometers in urban traffic, a little more than the average daily journey of vehicles, which would ensure charging during night stops . In the absence of such autonomy, batteries

  assembled in kits, quickly interchangeable, could also be suitable.

  Adapted to the collective transport of people, these vehicles would have, in

- 12 -

  basic formula, with 9 seats, all directly accessible without disturbing other passengers, while reserving sufficient space for luggage, with good comfort and all the conditions of hygiene and

security required.

  The average vehicle loading rate could be 7 to 8 people during peak hours and 4 to 5 people during off-peak hours, almost always leaving room for an additional passenger, or

  for several people who would come together.

  A certain number of vehicles would be specially adapted to receive disabled people, with the possibility of assigning them a selective call code.

  Any vehicle belonging to the network would have a distinctive code, easily per-

  ceptible from the outside, and also allowing them to be differentiated,

  others, at the level of the Central Computer.

  A driver would be attached to each vehicle in service for a specific time slot. His main responsibilities would be driving the vehicle and the responsibilities associated with getting on and off the passengers; various means would be made available to it to free it from the material constraints linked to the organization of route programs, and to the transmission of information concerning the progress of each program. He would

  given, however, the opportunity to intervene in the event of any difficulty.

  The driver would be assisted for this by a set of program automatons

  mes, including among others: an "on-board computer", terminal

  the Central Computer, to which it would be interactively linked by radio

information.

  We have also seen that each vehicle would be equipped with an automatic detector.

  beacon tick, linked by modem to the on-board computer.

  The on-board computer would automatically transmit to the Central Computer,

  a certain amount of information, such as the position of the vehicle in the ag-

  glomeration, compared to the different tags, and, as we will see soon,

  various indications concerning the boarding and alighting of passengers.

  Conversely, the on-board computer would receive, from the Central Computer, various directives relating to the organization or adaptation of the route program, to the beacons o passengers must be taken care of and or others must be deposited , to the imperative routes that should be followed for a good - 13-

program progress.

  Provided with these instructions, and programmed to report on monitoring, the computer

  The flight attendant could also operate a guidance program, translating into voice messages or light signals, the directions to follow, or the stops to be made to pick up or drop passengers, so as to assist

  the driver of the vehicle without taking too much of his attention.

  - About 250,000 call devices, or even a larger number if necessary,

  would be distributed by name to any new user. These devices

  tables, the size of an electronic diary, would have both a function

  call function and a message receiving function.

  Specially adapted and intended for the operation of the network, these devices would each have a specific code number, allowing them to be called

  selectively, or to identify the user who is calling.

  The minimum expected from these devices would be to be able to call the Operational Center, and more directly the Central Computer, to give it the code.

  of the waiting tag, the code of the destination tag, and the number of persons

  tones to be covered if the user is accompanied.

  In return, the message receiving function would make it possible to verify that the call has been heard, to know the vehicle code designated to ensure pickup.

  charge, and the approximate waiting time.

  Going further, and taking advantage of the possibility of establishing an inter-

  active, between the portable device and the on-board computer of the chosen vehicle, over the duration of the race, we would seek to automate various operations such as recording the rise of the passenger in the vehicle, or its descent,

  with all the accounting implications that may result.

  We could also take advantage of this interactive link, and the reception function.

  this of messages, to warn the user: * of the approach of the vehicle which must take care of it, * of the approach of the beacon where he will have to get off,

* of any possible mishaps.

  We would also examine under what financial conditions it would be possible to

  supplement these systems with an electronic directory, and an agglomeration plan

  mation, with the location and the identification code of the various beacons.

  This electronic directory could include a guide program, indicating

  to the user the tags which it is preferable to choose, according to the place where it is

- 14-

  ve, and according to the address where he must go.

  In the absence of such instrumentation, it would be made available to each user.

manage a small guide manual.

  Special calling devices, with a specific calling code, would be offered to disabled people who prefer to be supported by a

specially adapted vehicle.

  - The Operational Center would be equipped with sufficiently powerful IT resources, in particular at the level of the Central Computer, and its various peripherals or terminals, to process, in real time, all the information,

  analyzes, and instructions, necessary for the proper functioning of the network.

  The speed of processing of each piece of information appears to be one of the keys to the success of the system, and the number of pieces of information to be processed, in real time, is important: * To continuously monitor the position of vehicles in the agglomeration, when nearly 2,000 vehicles are in service during peak hours, and

  more than 100 information, concerning their respective situation, can

  come, per second, to the Central Computer.

  * To process requests for support, i.e. around 20 per second during peak hours; find the best vehicle for

  respond to each of them, and adapt the pro-

grams of road for these vehicles.

  * To keep the specific route program of

  each vehicle, as the steps go up and down

  sagers, which could reach around 40 pieces of information per second, at peak times, but with the possibility, however, of synthesizing this information, the various stages of detail of which would be followed by

on-board computers.

  The operating systems of the Central Computer, and its peripherals,

  should then be designed in the state of the art, at the level of each program.

  gram, or sub-program, to organize and optimize:

  * The number of vehicles to be put into service, and this not only in function

  tion of instantaneous demand, but also, provisionally, according to

  the day and the hour, a certain number of vehicles being able to be momentary-

  positioned on judiciously placed waiting areas.

  * The search for the vehicle best placed to provide support,

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  according to his instantaneous situation in relation to the applicant, his

  current route program, number of places available.

  To be faster, this research would use pre-

  selection, targeting an area close enough to the waiting beacon, and, within this area, vehicles whose direction is similar to that

which is requested.

  The research could thus concern around a dozen vehicles,

  whose route program would be compared to the requested route.

  Selection criteria would be set, in order to select the vehicle which, having the number of places desired, on the requested route, would make the user wait the least, and could drive it by a sufficiently short path, without

penalize other passengers.

  If the first investigations do not bring a satisfactory result

  doing so, the target could extend, to mobilize a vehicle located on a waiting area, the aim being not to make the user wait more than 3 minutes, for example, during peak hours, or 5 minutes in off-peak hours.

  Research must be carried out in a very short time, not only-

  so as not to keep the user waiting, but to avoid modifications

  too important the situation of the vehicles, during the time of selection

  tion. the adaptation of the route program of the vehicle, chosen for a care, should itself be done in a very short time, and which can

  take into account the simultaneous movement of the vehicle.

  This adaptation would be managed interactively, between the Central Computer

  and the vehicle's on-board computer concerns.

  A library of information would accompany these software, by memorizing

  in particular the map of the agglomeration and the location of the various markers.

  This library would be supplemented and energized by a traffic plan, the aim of which would be to optimize the routes followed by vehicles, to get from one point to another in the agglomeration, some of them being preferable to

  others, and this can be a function of the day or the hour.

  These different routes would be materialized by the succession of beacons that mark them out. We could then classify, according to a value scale, the different

  routes that allow you to reach 2 tags between them.

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  The program defining the traffic plan would be jointly operated by

  the Central Computer and the on-board Computers.

  Corrections, or temporary modifications, could be made at any time, to the traffic plan, if an event justifies it, such as for example works, or passenger congestion. The modification could be requested by the driver of the vehicle, and managed interactively between the computer

on board and the central computer.

  Guidance subroutines, operated on the on-board computers,

  could, as already mentioned, complete the circulation program

  tion, in order to assist drivers in raising awareness and monitoring

route programs.

  - With a well-ordered implementation of this set of means, various evaluations suggest that, barring errors or omissions, the time required to travel 3.5 km, between any 2 points in the agglomeration, could be understood between 12 and 15 minutes, counting from

  the instant the user initiates his call.

  It is to be hoped, under these conditions, that a fairly large number of people, who used to use their private car to move around the agglomeration, would show interest in this new mode of transport,

  as long as the cost is not excessive.

  It is certain that the labor would account for a significant part in the costs

  operating such a network, which could justify the use of around 3000 people

  staff, some part-time, and others full-time.

  However, compared to other modes of public transportation, such as trol-

  leybus, structure costs should be lower.

  In the case of application considered here, the number of vehicles in service for-

  could be around 500, during off-peak hours, and around 2,000 during peak hours, to carry around 320,000 passengers, on average, by

business day.

  With such means, reinforced by the rational development of relay car parks, at the gates of the agglomeration, it would not seem too illusory to hope to tend towards a new balance which could be presented as follows: - Number of individual journeys, per working day: 600,000 (excluding cyclists and pedestrians) distributed at the rate of (approximately): - 17- 140,000 by traditional public transport 320,000 by the new public transport network

  140,000 in passenger cars.

  - Number of vehicle movements per working day: About 160,000 including 60,000 public transport vehicles, covering 220,000 km, to transport 460,000 people, and 100,000 passenger cars, traveling

  approximately 350,000 km, to transport 140,000 people.

  Compared to the initial situation, such results, if confirmed, re-identified

  would be radical changes, such as: * More than doubled use of public transport

  * Reduction of automobile traffic by half (public transport

  taken) * Division by 3 of exhaust emissions

  * Considerable evolution of parking problems.

  Besides this example of application, neither exclusive nor limiting, the explanatory statement of

  process, the subject of this request, makes it possible to understand that it would be applied

  cable, as well, to the organization of a public transport network, in an agglomeration that would not yet have any, as to the reorganization, or the

  strengthening of an existing public transport network, or even trans-

  training of conventional taxi services in taxis for collective use, the aim

  provided with these new services being to make available to each user the route that suits him, at the instant he requests it, while simultaneously ensuring

  an optimal vehicle filling rate, thanks to the practice of carpooling.

  It is also conceivable that several complementary networks, affected

  each with a specific clientele, can operate in parallel, depending on the pro-

  transferred, within the same agglomeration, on the sole condition of assigning a separate call code to each of the networks. This has already been mentioned for a particular service reserved for disabled people, but we could also consider

  a special service for young people of school age, or any other specific service

  which would be affected, at least temporarily, by a number of

vehicles belonging to the network.

-18-

Claims (8)

  1) Process for organizing and operating collective transport networks   of people in urban areas, involving a large number of vehicles   cars, assigned to variable and evolving routes, so as to provide each user with the route that suits him, at the moment he requests it, but seeking to optimize the vehicle filling rate, by carpooling from several users whose travel programs are compatible; the method being characterized by the constitution of a reference system formed by a multiplicity of beacons each provided with a distinctive code of location, distributed over the whole agglomeration, in all the zones served by the network, at reason for a beacon at least per street element, between 2 successive crossroads, in each direction of traffic, these beacons marking the potential stopping points of vehicles, to pick up or drop passengers, and serving as a common reference: * at travel program for each user, from one beacon to another beacon, * to the road program for each vehicle, differentiated by successive codes   beacons where he was given the task of passing and stopping to pick up or drop off   serving passengers, * to the situation of each vehicle, in the urban area, by reference to the code of the last cotoyée tag.   2) Method according to claim 1, characterized by the implementation of beacons designed to transmit, in their immediate vicinity, in the form of infrared waves for example, signals characteristic of their distinctive code, a receiver and a decoder being placed on board each of the vehicles in the network, and linked by modem to an on-board computer, or, by direct telematic means, to a central computer located in an operational center, which makes it possible to take stock   the situation of vehicles in the agglomeration, and the evolution of their production   gram of route, fully automatically, and to record, in real time,   the information in the memory of the Central Computer.   3) Method according to claim 1, characterized by the implementation of tags differentiating from each other by an essentially static code sign, of the barcode type for example, a decoder reader being installed on board each of the vehicles belonging to the network, the information being immediately - 19-   retransmitted to the Operational Center, to be memorized by the central computer.   4) A method according to any preceding claim character-   laughed at by the installation, at the right of each beacon, of a sensor-decoder which detects   the distinctive code of any vehicle in the network, when it approaches, and transmits the information training at the operational center.   ) Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized   laughed at by the implementation of a set of complementary telematics components   mental, including in particular:   - a central computer, located at the Operational Center and linked by radiocommunica-   tion to peripheral computers on board each vehicle, the ex-   operation of the central computer being designed and programmed for:   * monitor and memorize, in real time, the route program of each vehicle   cule, and its location in the agglomeration,   * receive each request for care directly and compare it immediately   directly to the respective route programs of the different vehicles,   * select the vehicle best placed for each treatment, and organize   to adapt the route program, in relation to the on-board computer,   * orchestrate, in general, the entire operation of the network.   - Means of call, available to users, allowing them to directly introduce any request for support, at the entrance to the central computer, specifying the code of the 2 waiting and destination beacons, and number of persons concerned.   6) Method according to claim 1 and claim 5, characterized by the use of portable type call means, specially adapted for this use, with a call function and a message receiving function, each   device with a specific distinctive code enabling the user to be identified.   7) Method according to claim 6, characterized by the implementation of an optional embodiment of the call devices according to 6, according to which these devices also have interactive functions, over the duration of the race,   with the on-board computer of the vehicle concerned, which enables automatic recording of   matically the rise of the passenger in the vehicle, or his descent, at the end of   management, and to send him all useful messages. - 20 -   8) Method according to claim 1 and claim 5, characterized by the ex-   operation, as an option, at the level of the on-board computer of each vehicle, of a guidance program intended to assist the driver in acquainting himself with and monitoring the execution of the route program, in particular by means of voice messages.   9) Method according to claim 7, characterized by the complete exploitation   optionally, on the on-board computer of each vehicle, a message transmitter, in connection with portable devices, capable of selectively transmitting, to each passenger, various useful information concerning personally.