Hitchhiking has a bad stigma. People likely assume that if they see someone thumbing down the highway, the hitchhiker is either a hippie, a serial murderer or about to get slaughtered. As it turns out, though, hitchhiking might be a safer and more efficient form of transportation than we all think.
Back in April, BostInno spoke with Jenny O’Brien of Lawrence, Kansas, whose initiative, aptly dubbed Lawrence OnBoard, aims to create a secure network of hitchhikers and drivers. The idea of hitching is one that’s waned significantly over the years – but often overlooked are the environmental and monetary benefits.
BostInno subsequently got in touch with Monica Tibbits-Nutt, executive director of 128 Business Council, who was also inspired by O’Brien’s project and hopes to implement something similar in the Greater Boston Area.
The 128 Business Council works with several communities and companies along the Route 128 Corridor encompassing Boston. Tibbits-Nutt contends that incorporating hitchhiking is an obvious move, one that’s likely to yield positive community results while picking up the slack left by the MBTA, taxis, car-shares and other forms of transit.
“They’re not going to extend the Red Line or increase buses,” explained Tibbits-Nutt about the MBTA’s inability to consistently cater to the high volume of commuters. “We’re looking at the likes of low-cost solutions, carpooling and shuttles sponsored by private companies open to the public.”
When Tibbits-Nutt stumbled across the early stages Lawrence OnBoard, she immediately felt it could be even more successful in New England. Right now, she and her constituents are in the seedling stages of a hitchhiking endeavor, simply surveying neighboring cities and towns to gauge their eagerness, likelihood and any concerns citizens may have when it comes to hitching.
“The survey asks about current commuter habits – whether they’re using car-sharing, bike-sharing or commuting alone,” Tibbits-Nutt added. “It then asks things like whether or not you’d feel comfortable getting a ride from your neighbor and would you get a ride from someone you don’t know. It’s going the next step past Uber.”
Uber, of course, is a ride-sharing company that provides a black car service as a means of transportation and will pick you up at a requested destination.
Hitchhiking isn’t really so different when you think about it in basic terms. You get in a car with a stranger, agree upon a specific destination or drop off point, bid each other goodbye and continue your day. The only difference is that with Uber, you pay for vehicle quality, a proven driver and convenience.
Though Tibbits-Nutt is confident Bay Staters will take well to hitchhiking given the reduction in carbon emissions, affordability and efficiency, she’s not oblivious to the speed bumps she’ll encounter along the way. Planning, culture and open-mindedness are the top concerns at this stage.
The difference between places like Lawrence and Greater Boston when it comes to population, density, temperament and transportation planning, are staggering.
“Hitchhiking used to be so prevalent,” continued Tibbits-Nutt. “There’s really no data to back up that hitchhiking is dangerous. Incidents really are phenomenally low. [The stigma] is harder to shake in an urban area. If you can get past that perception and start in a smaller area where people know each other, I think it can really take off.”
As mentioned prior, Tibbits-Nutt’s local hitchhiking campaign is still in the early stages of development. Her next move is contingent on positive feedback from the surveys. Stay tuned to BostInno for more information on her push to make hitchhiking prevalent again.
Image via Shutterstock
