ouston bus service used to be considered terrible (Koepp 57). The buses were late almost 50% of the time, and almost always needed repairs (57). In 1978, the voters approved a one percent tax increase to improve bus transportation (57). As a result of this vote, $790 million was spent to improve the citys bus transportation (57). Almost 800 new buses were purchased, 20 park-and ride lots were constructed, 750 sheltered bus stops were built, and five maintenance shops were constructed (57). In the future, the city plans to keep making improvements, including increasing the number of bus express lanes on the highways (57). The American Public Transit Association ranked Houston as the city with the safest bus system in the entire United States (57). Carpooling, commonly called ridesharing, provides another alternative to the use of the automobile. Many cities and businesses have made ridesharing a more desirable form of transportation over the past few years. The 3M Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota furnishes an impressive example of successful ridesharing use (Clark 387-404). Employees sign up as passengers, drivers, or both, and pay a small monthly fee for the non-profit service. (387-404). The company offers a cash incentive for those employees who use the carpooling program (387-404). The use of high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes has increased dramatically in recent years (Clark 387-404). HOV lanes are special lanes on highways reserved for high-occupancy vehicles only (387-404). Typically, a vehicle must be carrying at least two to four passengers, depending on location, to use HOV lanes (387-404). The use of HOV lanes is restricted by small radio transmitters placed in the carpooling vehicles (387-404). When any vehicle enters a HOV lane, a transmitter above the lane scans for a receiver in the automobile (387-404). If the system detects one, the vehicle is allowed to enter the lane (387-404). If not, it alerts a nearby highway patro...
