The U.S. Postal Service possesses the largest civilian fleet in the world — more than 200,000 vehicles. And those vehicles cover 1.25 billion miles each year. This huge component of the postal infrastructure could represent an untapped resource. Imagine if some of those vehicles were doing something else, automatically, at the same time they were moving the mail.
Ravnitsky wonders, what if these delivery vehicles were fitted with sensors to collect and transmit information about weather or air pollutants?
As the Postal Service maneuvers through changing modes of communication, are postal delivery trucks positioned to fill a new role of information gathering besides delivering the nation’s mail?
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/18/opinion/18ravnitzky.html
7 comments:
Good idea!
LOOKS AS THOUGH YOU DON'T WANT COMMENTS. IS THIS CENSORSHIP? WHAT IS THERE TO BE AFRAID OF.
This really does sound like an idea that should be explored. I'm guessing the comments removed were negative and/or derogatory and we in the Postal Service really need to stop thinking that way and try to think beyond "status quo" and think towards the future for all of us.
Selling advertising space on these vehicles would drum up revenue very quickly. The sensors may have potential, but require costlier startup and I assume maintenance. I guess the question would be: is there a demand for this data by the free market?
I already saw many metrolink vehicles(metrobus,trains) in St Louis already have advertisements and I am sure they are paid to metrolink department. Postal can also get similar revenue. Also there are lot of cellular and radio providers that need wifi enabled and probably we can tie-up with them and expand their network and our revenue. Also sensors and security alerts, weather alerts is a good tool too. Maybe vehicle has the ability to detect and operator just text to appropriate department to notify.
Big Brother will be watching you.
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