Call-buses too popular
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AWEST GERMAN experimen with computer-guided "cal buses" — hailed as the cit transport system of the futur — has not turned out to be success when used on a larg, scale (CMDecember 29, 1979).
The German Government ha: decided against further subsi dies, and it is likely that the nev system, which has beer operated in Friedrichshafer since December 1977, will bE discontinued. More than Ma was invested in the buses.
The idea was to do away witi timetables, instead passenger: could call a central compute and within minutes a minibu: would arrive.
Curiously, the buses became E victim of their own popularity By the end of last year, 3,00( people used the buses daily anc the workload proved too muclfor the computer.
Waiting times grew longer and the mounting cost of run. ning the system resulted in monthly deficit of more thar £100,000.