Is it possible to reduce the private ownership of cars by promoting the use of virtual cars summoned by cellphone apps? What public policy recommendations have been made worldwide and what government incentives have been offered to achieve this?
Background information: The use of computer apps to request taxi services has created a new industry, with companies like Uber and Ola growing at an impressive rates. However, Societies have not recognized that this new form of public services can contribute a lot to reduction of atmospheric pollution and traffic jams on the streets. It can also contribute to job creation. Visit
http://newstudentresearch.blogspot.com/2015/11/get-rid-of-your-car-project-ideas-for.html
Mr. Srinivasan, the matter is more related to changing our mindset rather than governmental interference. In metros, use of hired taxi using apps is quite common and is gaining popularity in small town as well. The basic problem lies when it comes to day to day use of vehicles. I live in an apartment where five more professors live. All of us go to same university campus and return in same time. Still all of use our own car. I am a bigger culprit as I am teaching Environmental Science.. There is need of generating awareness.
The only way to discourage private ownership is to make it prohibitively expensive for a private person to get involved as anything other than a consumer. If your primary goals are to reduce pollution and traffic congestion, values I share, I believe the best thing government can do is to not interfere with this type of innovation.
Consider, this approach to transportation and commerce is on the rise because there are enough market gaps (incentives) to do so. Artificial (government sponsored) incentives are useful when the market gaps do not exist or at least, not yet. Think of eBay; some of the reasons it works so well is that buyers and sellers are accountable for their actions and anyone with initiative and money/product may enter the market. Notice, the government doesn't need to add incentives and the government doesn't need to regulate the market for it to work.
As far as Prashant's issue, might I suggest that the commute, while on paper inappropriate, affords each professor a bit of quiet time prior to the onslaught of students, administrators, and other interruptions to their day.
New Yorkers, big wall street professionals use subway or path to commute from one place to another despite their 100 of millions of dollars salary and perks. therefore, it is mindset and attitude of the individual matters a lot.
nothing much have been done, it is more of a technology issue then ethical or conceptual.
There has been rapid growth in the use of apps to get access to autorickshaws in Bangalore. I suspect that this is happening in other big cities of India in parallel. A app-based-cabs company has been including autorickshaws in its menu for more than a year. Their pricing technique has now proved very successful. We pay a "convenience charge" of Rs 10 (equivalent to about 15 US cents) over the meter indication. The driver seems to keep Rs 5 and the app company takes the other 5. I find it is very easy to get autos anytime I want in Bangalore to go anywhere. Technology and transparency enabled by it have achieved what policing has failed to achieve over decades.
Another convenience: I am able to pay in cash, or out of a digital wallet run by the company. As a result, I don't have to worry about the driver saying he has no change.