What Happened to Toll Booths ?

What Happened to Toll Booths?

As technology moves forward we drift away from traditional payment methods. Cash is estimated to disappear completely by 2020. Credit cards and other forms of traditional payments follow. Toll collectors will go too. We’ll probably switch to an all-electronic system. Toll plazas will be completely removed and replaced by open road tolling. This system will probably reduce traffic jams and prevent car accidents.
After 911 call 411 PAIN .

It’s all about finding an efficient and modern transportation system.  Instead of toll plazas, we’ll have sensors and cameras to keep the traffic moving. These high resolution cameras are made for long distance license plate reading. In order for the plate to be more visible some of the light is blocked. The system will probably ease traffic congestion and get you to work on time.  Switching to the new system will probably be very expensive. It will take quite a while since many states still lack funds. States like Florida and Georgia have already successfully implemented the new payment method. Georgia, for example, only has one toll road in the whole state.

The sad thing about switching to an all electronic system it’s that 80 to 90 percent of all toll collection jobs will completely disappear leaving thousands of people nationwide unemployed. The average hourly wages of a toll worker in some states is as high as $33. Collecting money in this economy is not as easy as it seems. Some of these employees have been retained in back office systems or trained for new positions while others still remain unemployed  forcing them to go back to school.

Many tolls are already collecting electronically or through toll plate. Traffic flows better and accidents are less frequent. The truth is nobody likes stopping on their way to an important event to pay a dollar or running into an accident while waiting in line.  

After 911 Call 411 PAIN at 1-800-411-PAIN.

School Bus Safety

School Bus Safety

Kids are usually nervous on their first day of school. Everything is so new: new teachers, new friends, new books, new classrooms and new school buses. Did you know that the first school buses where horse-drawn carriages? It was very common to use wagons to transport children to school in rural America. There were some variations to the design in northern regions. Sleds were provided in order to glide through the snow with ease. 

In the 1900’s Florida had acquired more than 3000 miles of railroad. It was just the beginning for the sunshine state. Cities such as Key West, Orlando, Tampa, Cape Canaveral, Saint Augustine, Pensacola, Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale, Daytona Beach, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Miami, Sarasota, Tallahassee, St Petersburg, West Palm Beach and Naples enjoyed a thriving economy. Most sunshiners lived within 50 miles of the Georgia’s border though. An actual school bus wasn’t built until the 1930’s and it was painted in yellow in 1939. 

According to statistics taking the bus to school is the safest way to go. Call 1-800-411-PAIN if you are a victim of a school bus crash. School buses have only a rate of 0.2 deaths per 100 million miles traveled. Federal law does not require seatbelts on most school buses but some still provide them. Apparently seatbelts limit the number of kids per seat and that means schools will have to invest more on transportation.
Drive safely around school buses. We often forget to stop for school buses while on school ground. Motorists are often ticketed for speeding on school ground and for passing school buses.

To handle your traffic infractions, try 411 PAIN.

Cars of the Future

Cars of the Future

Future cars are definitely going to rock the road. Technology is paving the way for a road revolution. With energy saving features, flying capabilities, computer and satellite navigation; futuristic cars will transform your day into a driving adventure. Accidents will probably decrease as roads get filled with cars. Empty roads are the ones usually so lethal. Just don’t forget careless drivers will still live in the future therefore accidents will still happen and you’ll have to call 411-PAIN or any other lawyer referral service when breaking the rules of the road.

Let’s start with energy. Fossil fuels are getting out of style. We are moving closer to greater horizons.  Petroleum monopolies don’t want you to believe so and would love to convince you otherwise but reality tells a different story. Hybrid fuel vehicles and electric cars are becoming more and more common. Hybrid engines are smaller and more efficient than traditional fuel engines. But there are other options. If you like airplanes you can try PAL-V. This unbelievable car flies. It only requires a very short space for takeoff and landing so you can land almost anywhere. Rotors fold nicely while on the ground. That means you still get to drive old-fashioned in the future. 

What about self-driven cars or cars that operate through satellite? Scientists in Berlin built a smart mini-van which is controlled completely by computers. It can also be driven conventionally.  The car has censors that recognize pedestrians, cars, motorcycles, and other road users. Google has some nice self-driven vehicles as well. BMW has reinvented them. These cars are supposed to reduce accidents, ease congestion, and increase fuel economy. Congested cities in Florida such as Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Gainesville, Ocala, Orlando, Tampa, Clearwater, Fort Myers, Naples, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami will finally enjoy accident-free roads. Self-driven BMW’s are expected to be out in a few years.

Are you tired of driving? Don’t worry about it. The future provides you with many options. You can either fly, become drive-less or safe the environment by purchasing a hybrid car. 411-PAIN will still be here for you if you run into a road dilemma.