XPost: rec.arts.sf.written, rec.arts.sf.science   
   From: YourName@YourISP.com   
      
   In article , Tim McDaniel   
    wrote:   
   > In article ,   
   > Doc O'Leary   wrote:   
   > >Such as system should see "pods" as simply cheap containers of a   
   > >standard size.  Essentially the $10 plastic storage totes we have   
   > >today.  You'd have a stack of them that come and go with the   
   > >deliveries/returns that need to be made.  All you'd "summon" is a   
   > >service that can shuttle them between locations.  It's so   
   > >straightforward I once planned a similar thing as the basis for a   
   > >bicycle delivery network.   
   >   
   > Such a great idea that it was implemented under Victoria, Empress of   
   > India, in Bombay: delivering fresh lunches from homes to offices, and   
   > getting the empties back home.  They don't have to be standard-sized   
   > lunch boxes.  But they did set up color and shape codes for routing.   
   > And, of course, it's once a day at a set time.   
   >   
   > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dabbawala   
      
   Yep, it still happens in India today. Millions of lunchboxes delivered   
   from home to office, with still hot food, via many different transport   
   methods (runners, bikes, motorbikes, cars, vans, trains, etc.) ... and   
   it is done every day and on time.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)