[sustran] [NewMobilityCafe] Knoogle 1.0 progress

[Eric Britton]

[Kindly share this note if you think it might be useful/]



1.     Work is proceeding apace with our colleagues from the Center for
Advancing Research and Solutions for Society at the University of Michigan
under the leadership of Sue Zielinski, director of the SMART program.



2.     As a reminder just in case, you can pick it up at http://knoogle.net
.



3.     The present work consists of a careful screening and identification
of what is to now more than 400 carefully selected sites, covering the key
programs and sources active in the area. 



4.     Sue alliteratively asks that Knoogle be useful as a way to pick out
the key . . . programs, projects, people, places, processes and
publications.  Hmm. We are working on it.



5.     One area that will need attention in the next stage is the matter of
the so-called "refinements", basically nests of keywords that dip into the
initial call-up and then work to further ferret out the links that treat
that particular sub-set. 

a.     An example is "Public transport", which calls up references from a
cluster of key words that at this point include: "public transport",  bus,
rail,  tram,  BRT,  metro,  subway,  Mobilien,  "public transit",  "bus
lanes",  "priority lanes", "bus priority",  HOV,  BRTS,  LRT 

b.    The Paratransit refinement looks for: xTransit OR paratransit,  DRT,
carpool,  taxi,  "demand responsive*",  vanpool,  carshare,  carsharing,
"car club",  "shared car",  "computerized dispatching",  hitchhiking,
ride-sharing,  slugging,  pedicab,  rickshaw*,  "dynamically routed",
colectivo 

c.     Fair transport screens for: elderly,  handicapped,  "low income",
disabled,  unemployed,  underserved



6.     I think that one good way to get a feel for its eventual value - and
its limitations of which we hope you will tell us - is to search for a place
that you might wish to know more about, new mobility-wise (as it were).And
then once there to look at some of those refinements (the remainder are
still very rough).



But I of course can't tell you anything about searching on the web that you
don't know better than I, so let me leave you with this interim progress
report and invite you to share with us your views, suggestions, and counsel.

 

In the hope that Knoogle may in time and with work become a useful addition
to your toolkit.

 

Eric Britton

 

PS.  Once we get the English version in shape, we intend then to turn in
order to a dedicated Knoogle for Spanish - www.es.knoogle.net  -- and French
- www.fr.knoogle.net. With, I hope, www.po.knoogle.net not too far behind.