Agency 22: Transport
The twenty-second agency in the community facilitates transport. The agency is part of the Infrastructure Bureau. Other agencies in the bureau are Agency 23 (Utilities), and Agency 24 (Raw Materials). The agency develops and controls all transport infrastructure – roads, rail tracks, apartment breezeways, airports and airstrips. The agency also owns and manages all transport equipment including cars, trucks, mules, trains, and aircraft.
Once the physical community is complete, it is carless. While vehicles can still be used to transport goods and people from one community to another within a NewVista, movement within the physical plant is exclusively by walking or utilizing mules.
The Capital Bank Agency (agency 8) receives investment in the form of partnership interest from limited partners, which it in turn invests in community agencies, including the Transport Agency. The agency uses these funds for operations, including down payments for the loans it needs to lease land and develop infrastructure, and acquiring equipment. It uses the infrastructure and equipment to deliver chargeable services to participants. From its revenues, it pays the Capital Bank a return on its investment, which in turn enables the bank to pay limited partners superior returns on their investments.
Organization of transport
There is no motorized traffic (e.g., trucks, cars, and buses) within the community. Participants walk, cycle, or use a mule (an automated, multifunctional electric vehicle that can serve as a personal car, desk, and even bed) to get around or transport supplies. Mules are also used in the mirrored villages and hubs, alongside robots to help farmers as they work. Like all other assets, mules and bikes are owned by the community.
However, further afield, it is necessary to use other means of transport as circumstances dictate. Airplanes, helicopters, trucks, and trains may be used to move people and goods between communities, or for instance, to get iron ore from a mine deep in the mining areas to an iron smelting plant in the mirrored industrial zone.
The Transport Agency constructs airports, roads, and railroads as needs dictate. They are run by limited partners as a business. For instance, once the agency has constructed a road, it will hand it to a limited partner, through a competitive bidding process, for maintenance. The limited partner will levy a cess/ toll on road usage, which they will use to pay for their lease.
Farmers, miners, and other businesses who need bulk transport for materials contact businesses who lease transport equipment from the agency. This helps maximize the performance of the equipment, such that, for instance, a truck is not tied to one miner even when they are not using it. Hiring terms are flexible to allow use and payment only when needed.
Some facilities, such as airports and railroads may be shared between communities or even a NewVista. The agencies in the respective communities collaborate on cost-sharing and leasing of the airport to promote equality and efficiency.
The Transport Agency facilitates transport between the community and other communities, or for distances outside the community and its mirror, such as distant pasturelands, mines, and resorts. The first step in this is developing transport infrastructure – the agency builds airports, helipads, roads, and railroads as needed. The agency thereafter invites bids from businesses that want to run these facilities, and maintain them, charge participants for usage, and pay a weekly fee to the agency. Equipment used on this infrastructure – planes, lorries, and trains, for instance, are run by businesses and are leased from the Business Operations Agency. The agency regularly monitors how its infrastructure is used, and determines whether usage aligns with lease agreements.
Mules are platforms on which dieent apps, such as seats, chairs, beds, and even transport odules can be affixed. The Transport Agency owns these mules and reents them out to participants per hour.
In addition, the agency owns breezeways, passageways that are just outside apartment buildings’ podium floors. The breezeways, which are 24 feet wide, are used for walking, jogging, cyccling and skating, and mule traffic. They are covered by a grover which extends from the second floor of each apartment, where participants can grow fruit trees and relax. On the other side, there is a village square, which is another garden on which farmers grow fruits, nuts, and vegetables. It also acts as a park.
How the agency works
Background on presidencies
Every presidency in the community presidency is a four-member entity whose members represent one of the four major demographic groups, or divisions: partnered males (A), partnered females (B), single females (C), and single males (D). However, a president serves the whole community in their role, rather than only their own demographic. Presidents’ diversity and commitment to serve all is provided for in the community bylaws and ensures that all access services without any discrimination.
These four major demographics are evenly split in ordinary society, with each group accounting for between 23 and 27% of the population, and with regular fluctuations as people’s status changes. The community appreciates that discrimination across all social categories happens based on partnered or single status, other social categorizations notwithstanding; partnered males are likelier to dominate other demographics, especially single males and single females. Partnered females are also likelier to have better prospects in careers and leadership than single females.
The community’s infrastructure promotes equal access to economic and social resources and opportunities. The composition of the community as a whole and those who serve it in the community public service is closely monitored to prevent numerical domination, which can lead to nepotism or unequal access.
The recruitment to be a participant, and to serve in the public service carefully considers other social categorizations, to ensure racial, ethnic, religious, and sexual groups are well represented in the community as they are in the society in which a community operates. These considerations inform the constitution of the community public service. The diversity in community public service, which is provided by bylaws, is aimed at creating a community that is blind to all other considerations besides service to participants. The service is therefore designed to be free of discrimination.
Agency presidency, bureau board, and demographic presidencies
The Transport agency is served by an agency presidency of four presidents. The agency presidency sets the agency’s overall strategy and operating policies. It also sets up an automated system through which the agency interacts with participants. Adjusts the strategy, policies, and automated system as needed to better serve the community.
As part of the Infrastructure Bureau, the Transport Agency’s agency presidency forms a 12-member bureau board together with the agency presidencies serving the Transport, Utilities, and Raw Materials agencies. The board is a check and balance tool for individual presidents and agencies, especially on decisions that have far-reaching implications for the community. In the initial period, as a community is formed, the board plays a critical role in the development of infrastructure and securing raw material rights.
Within the bureau board, three presidents from the same demographic form a demographic presidency. There are four such presidencies in the bureau. The demographic presidency works on matters of common interest to a demographic, that cut across the three agencies. The demographic presidency also plays an important role in the mentorship and training of new presidents.
| Demographic presidency A | Demographic presidency B | Demographic presidency C | Demographic presidency D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agency presidency, Transport(22) | 22A | 22B | 22C | 22D |
| Agency presidency, Utilities (23) | 23A | 23B | 23C | 23D |
| Agency presidency, Raw Materials (24) | 24A | 24B | 24C | 24D |
Limited partners and branch presidencies
Limited partners and dependents
A limited partner is the basic unit in the community. A limited person, usually above 18 years old, but sometimes as young as 16, has been admitted into the community and has invested $20,000 as partnership interest, for which they earn a return. This is regarded as one unit of partnership interest.
Over time, a limited partner can add more units of partnership interest, as their business prospers. The more partnership interest units a limited partner has, the more the return they receive from the Capital Bank.
A dependent is a minor, or a person living with a disability, under the care of a limited partner. In some instances, a dependent may be a fit adult, who for various reasons is supported by community agencies, and assigned by contract to a limited partner. Limited partners are responsible for any legal agreements that their dependents enter into, either with community agencies or other participants, and therefore have the right of attorney.
Together, limited partners and dependents are referred to as participants. Participants who are dependents, because they are still minors, can start a business when they reach 12 years of age. This allows them to save up and invest $20,000 into the community by their 18th birthday, and possibly as early as 16.
Limited partners and their dependents reside in apartments (village buildings). Each apartment has 4 floors, with each floor containing 16 apartments. Each floor has floor has 7 – 12 limited partners, with each limited partner having 1 – 3 dependents. Each floor therefore has around 25 residents. With four floors, each building has approximately 100 residents. An apartment building also forms a branch.
Limited partners and unit
A limited partner is the basic unit in the community. A limited partner, usually above 18 years old, but sometimes as young as 16, has been admitted into the community and has invested $20,000 as partnership interest, for which they earn a return from the Capital Bank Agency, which invests other community agencies. This is regarded as one unit of partnership interest. Over time, a limited partner can add more units of partnership interest, as their business prospers. The more partnership interest units a limited partner has, the more the return they receive from the agency.
A dependent is a minor, or a person living with a disability, under the care of a limited partner, and who has, in any of these cases, given their power of attorney to the limited partner. In some instances, a dependent may be a fit adult, who for various reasons is supported by community agencies, and assigned by contract to a limited partner. Limited partners are responsible for any legal agreements that their dependents enter into, either with community agencies or other participants. Together, limited partners and dependents are referred to as participants.
Participants who are dependents, because they are still minors, can start a business when they reach 12 years of age. This allows them to save up and invest $20,000 into the community by their 18th birthday, and possibly as early as 16. Limited partners and their dependents reside in apartment buildings (village buildings). Each apartment building has five floors, with four containing apartments. An apartment building also forms a branch.
Captains and branch presidencies
Of the approximately 100 residents in a branch, around 40 of them are limited partners.They are divided into 4 units, each of which has 10 limited partners and their dependents. The limited partner membership in a unit is diverse, containing different social groups that are reflective of the society within which a community operates.
Additionally, a unit contains members of the four main demographics: partnered males (A), partnered females (B), single females (C), and single males (D).
The 4 demographics in the branch form 4 groups, as follows:
- Group 1: partnered males and females
- Group 2: single females and males
- Group 3: partnered and single males
- Group 4: partnered and single females
Within each group, there are different subsets, known as classes, based primarily on age. There is a class for Nursery (0-2), toddlers (3 – 5), young children (6-9), pre-teens (10-12), teens (13-18), young adults (19-31), adults (32-72), and empty nesters (73+).
| Meeting week | Class 1 | Class 2 | Class 3 | Class 4 | Class 5 | Class 6 | Class 7 | Class 8 |
| Week 1 and 3 | All partnered adults | All single adults | Teen boys and girls | Pre -teens | Young children | Toddlers | Nursery | |
| Week 2 and 4 | All males | All females | Teen boys | Teen girls |
Further details on the composition of units, groups, classes, and branches, and their meeting schedules, is detailed here.
Recruitment and diversity
Captains are responsible for recruiting limited partners into the community through their council and by extension, branch. A captain does not recruit limited partners only from their demographic. Instead, they work to ensure that their recruits are diverse, considering social categorizations, gender, and social status, in addition to demographic groups.
Captains work in concert with their fellow captains in the branch presidency, and other presidencies in a village and district to ensure that the district is as diverse as possible. They are guided by present data on how diverse their district, village, and branch are, and what needs to be focused on to improve. They are also guided by community bylaws, which expressly require diversity as shown by demographic data about a population from which the community intends to recruit limited partners.
The captain serves as a service extension of the Residential and Agency, though they also act as an interface between participants and other community agencies. For agencies that do not have bureau presidencies, such agencies in the Economic and Public Administration Bureaus, captains come in handy in helping participants navigate these agencies’ automated system and other relevant tools used by the agency to deliver services.
The automated system is designed to help participants with all the help they need in matters related to various agencies, including the Residential and Mediation Agency. However, should they run into problems, captains assist them in navigating the system, or direct them to relevant contractors who help them at a fee..
Automated system
The Transport Agency performs much of its work through an automated system. The automated system handles most interactions between the agency and participants, including training, lease agreements, and monitoring, among others. Contractors and branch/ village presidencies also engage with the agency through the system, unless in specific instances when they need to personally engage with the agency presidency. Such engagements happen from Monday to Thursday every week, for 45 minutes from 8:00 to 8:45 AM.
Contractors
The agency does not directly lease transport mediums to participants. While it owns mules, cars, and other vehicles, the agency hires contractors who handle logistics, easing access and reducing bureaucracy. These contractors are also responsible for maintenance, and can makke requests for additional vehicles when needed. The agency also constructs and maintains infrastructure through contractors. S
Inter-agency cooperation
The 24 community agencies form three columns of 8 agencies each. There is loose collaboration between the agencies in a column, as we will see below in the case of Column 1, which the Transport Agency forms a part of.
The Transport Agency extensively cooperates with the Residential and Mediation Agency (agency 1) to ensure that there is an optimal mix of contractors – engineers, drivers, maintenance contractors, and other relevant professions – admitted into the community to achieve its aims.
The Community Bank (agency 7) provides the loans that the Transport Agency needs to acquire and develop transport infrastructure and equipment. The Business Planning Agency works with the Transport Agency in instances where a business wants to engage in transport, to establish the viability of the plan based on available opportunities.
Presidencies’ offices, meetings, and quarterly conferences
Offices
The Transport Agency presidency has permanent offices in District Building 22’s first floor, on the western side. Facing them on the eastern side are the offices for trustee presidency and Regulatory Bureau presidency serving the agency and District 22.
Trustees and the regulatory bureau presidencies alternate their offices. Trustees have the offices in building 22 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, while the bureau presidencies use the offices on Mondays and Wednesdays, as shown in this timetable:
| Building 10/ Communication | Building 22/ Transport | |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Trustee presidency | Regulatory Bureau presidency |
| Tuesday | Regulatory Bureau presidency | Trustee presidency |
| Wednesday | Trustee presidency | Regulatory Bureau presidency |
| Thursday | Regulatory Bureau presidency | Trustee presidency |
The first floor’s layout is as follows, including other public servants who serve District 22.
Working hours and meetings
All community public servants work from Monday to Thursday, from 8:00 to 8:45 in the morning. The Transport Agency presidency uses this time to meet relevant parties including branch presidencies and other community public servants. On Thursday, each presidency (four presidents serving A, B, C, and D) meets for a 45-minute meeting from 9:00 to 9:45 in the morning.
On the last Friday of each quarter, between 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM, each demographic presidency meets. The three-member presidency discusses common bureau matters that are of interest to the demographic they serve. On Saturday, again between 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM, the whole board meets, where the presidents present their input from the previous day’s demographic presidency meeting, and prepare for the quarterly conference. The aim is to have a cohesive presentation during the quarterly conference but tailored to specific demographic interests.
Quarterly conferences
Quarterly conferences are held on the last Sunday of each quarter, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, with a lunch break in between. During quarterly conferences, each demographic presidency sits together in the same row.
Quarterly conferences are held in District Buildings 5 and 17. Each building has a lower and higher assembly court. The different demographic groups use the assembly courts as follows:
| Building | Assembly court | Demographic |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Lower court | Partnered males (A) |
| 5 | Higher court | Partnered females (B) |
| 17 | Lower court | Single females (C) |
| 17 | Higher court | Single males (D) |
Branch presidencies do not attend quarterly conferences. Instead, they follow the relevant proceedings online alongside other participants.
Each of the four assembly courts has seats for 480 presidents representing the respective demographic. In the diagram below each of the 4 courts is illustrated. The ceiling of each court has an elliptical arch that enables agency presidents, who are the only ones who make a presentation during the conference, to speak without the need to amplify their voices. The 480 seats are easily rotatable to enable presidents to face whoever is speaking.
Each of the four courts has an identical arrangement and number of seats. The exact arrangement of each court can therefore be illustrated using one court, in this case, building 5’s lower court that is used by partnered males (A).
Within an assembly court, the 480 presidents are arranged in terms of demographic presidencies of 3 Infrastructure Bureau’s demographic presidency for partnered males (22A, 23A, and 24A) sits as highlighted in the graphic.
Some additional notes/definitions from an earlier version of this page:
- Sustainable land management is necessary to ensure that while the available land meets the current needs of the population, it is also able to guarantee long-term productive potential. Sound land management ensures that while the users derive the maximum economic and social benefit from the available land, they also safeguard the ecological support functions of the land. The Land Management Agency will strive to provide the platform on which the community can achieve this (FAO. Sustainable Land Management. 2019. 10 07 2019).
- Land resource management policies are important in that they enable a community, country or region to adequately address all aspects of land management. In the community, there will be attempts to improve the economic and social benefits of land, while rehabilitating natural resources to enable them to be more beneficial to human activity (Binswanger-Mkhize, H., R. Meizen-Dick and C. Ringler. Policies, Rights, and Institutions for Sustainable Management of Land and Water Resources1. Background Thematic report. Geneva: FAO, 2009).
- The community, as is the case with democratically led local authorities, will have its own approach to land management, with the participants’ best interests at heart. However, this is not going to be enough without participation from the other stakeholders, who will be affected by any management policies, formulated an implemented. This will necessitate a partnership between participants, stewards in agricultural production, and the Land Management Agency so that the achieve can adequately satisfy its interests (Magigi, W. “Public-Private Partnership in Land Management: A Learning Strategy for Improving Land Use Change and Transformation in Urban settlements in Tanzania.” Research on Humanities and Social Sciences 3.15 (2015): 148-157).
- Land zoning is an important element in urban development. Through zoning, there is a mechanism through which land-use rules can be enforced, besides land maintenance, and ensuring that land is used only for the intended and most suitable purpose. The community will be less encumbered in its zoning processes, given that there will only be a few considerations including residential vs commercial or industrial, natural resource protection – including wildlife, riparian and catchment areas (Steele, E. “Participation and Rules-The Functions of Zoning.” American Bar Foundation Research Journal 11.4 (1986): 704-755).
- A centralized distribution of electricity will enhance uniformity and pricing, enabling the community to price housing and other rentable property uniformly. The quality of power produced