Meet George Jetson

Or at least feel like you're on the set of The Minority Report. Things are getting even nuttier in the Minnesota House. The transportation wave of the future: Personal Rapid Transit (PRT). Enough pork in it to win the support of the big-business Republicans, and crunchy enough to interest the Green party. Politics makes strange bedfellows.



Image from http://www.menziesera.com/menziesera/index.htm


Click here for a story about how PRT made its way into the Minnesota House. Or, click here and here to learn more about PRT in general.



Image from http://www.skywebexpress.com/>


I haven't made up my mind yet about PRT. It seems like a great alternative to highways and cars. But logistically it seems impossible to put into practice. Also I am torn between using money to pursue this and using it fund lightrail and the bus, two services we already have and are underfunded.

And even more perplexing is why are the House Republicans backing this? My only guess is some fat cat CEO has his finger in the PRT pie and is driving this legislation. Either that, or Republicans are philisophically drawn to the free will and choice that PRT offers, as opposed to those commie busses and lightrail cars that impose choice on citizens by stopping only at scheduled intersections.