Idea 1 - Eco/Econo-Friendly Transport

This idea would drastically reduce pollution and traffic congestion. And. here's the best part.

All the technology required is already available, cost-effective, and widely used. We are all familiar with them, in their own modular way and not one complete solution as what I want to outline.

1. GPS - already a common feature in many countries. TomTom anyone?
2. Networking web sites
3. An Internet-enabled phone/PDA/Notebook

Carpooling is great when you have a small group of people with the same routine traveling to the same destination. What about those instances when you need some more flexibility? Or a random trip you need to make around town for a variety of reasons?

I give you... the HitchHiker 2.X. Of course, there isn't any 1.x (but 2.0 has a nice ring to it). Here's how you get it.

1. Get a GPS service (example, TomTom) in your car).
2. Setup a profile and account with the HH2.x website with a nominal one-time payment.
3. Buy an Internet-enabled phone (GPRS is a common feature)/PDA/Wi-Fi enabled Notebook.

Basic Rule:

If you're going anywhere in your car, your HH 2.x account will be in "Driver Mode". You need to enter your origin and destination. This is only if you're open to other passengers commuting with you.

Scenario: You need to visit the other end of town to buy something.

How-it-Works:

1. Login to your HH 2.x account, go to "Passenger Mode", and submit your origin and destination information.
2. Another individual in the area (or who may be passing by) will receive an alert for a pick-up, if he has logged in with "Driver Mode".
3. The "Driver" gets to see a brief synopsis of your account and decides whether or not to give you a lift.
4. If the driver picks you up and drops you to your destination (which will be along his way), the driver confirms the pickup. You, as a passenger, confirm the ride.
5. Upon confirmation, credits will accumulate the in the driver's account. Similarly, debits take place to your account (against credits you've accumulated as a driver, or bought online just like any other e-commerce transaction).
6. Credits can be redeemed for rides, or cashed out with a small surcharge.

The GPS and user-friendly HH 2.x website will allow drivers and passengers to make themselves visible.

Minimum risk of any crime, since the HH 2.x account is verified against details such as credit card/social security number or any other government-issued ID. The GPS ensures that your location is known at any given time. This minimizes any risk, since the identity of someone harassing you would immediately be known.

Add to that the profile-specific alerts you can choose to receive. For example, an off-duty cop or soldier could choose to ride with anyone. A 25 yr old lady may choose to ride only with other female drivers.

Behavior-based rankings at the end of each ride could fine-tune this further.

Yes, this is very rough, but it's possible. The technology is already out there. It's already being used in small and simpler ways, for example, car-pool systems in an organization's portal.

Let's make a business plan out of this and scope some VC. Let's drive easy.