Google's Best Perk — Transport

Reverse Gear writes "The New York Times has an interesting article about how different kinds of fringe benefits are starting to count more in the fight for the best brains in Silicon Valley. The article mainly focuses on Google's high-tech shuttle-bus system, which is quite extensive, covering a majority of the San Fransisco Bay area. The article quotes a transportation expert opining that Google's may be the largest such private system anywhere. One-quarter of the headquarters employees are now using it. A Google software engineer said: 'They could either charge for the food or cut it altogether... If they cut the shuttle, it would be a disaster.'"

Comments

Re:Why not Google Housing?

[houstonbofh]

They would still need transportation. I mean who wants to live at the office? Oh, wait... This is slashdot. OK. Who ELSE wants to live at the office?

For the rest of us...

[ReidMaynard]

Dear Employee,

You were late again today. You're fired. Report to HR immediately. Remeber, you are being watched.

Sincerely,

The Big Boss

Re:Why not Google Housing?

[Anonymous Coward]

All they have to do is build dual-use office/condo towers.

Then people can start bitching about how long the commute takes in the morning when all the elevators start filling up.

Blow being a self-employed consultant!

[BillGatesLoveChild]

I want to work for Google!

Re:Transportation agreement

[Anonymous Coward]

YEAH!

AND: The impoverished outside the bus will smash bottles of gin and pick-me-up against the iron grill mesh on the side of the bus windows, while gigantic silhouettes against the acid rain clouds will give away the positions of robotic helicopters search for we three-- we three freedom fighters, who will be crouching along, beneath the ground, within the sewers, with only 5 mag-guns, 2 cheap laptops, and a crazy lost child known only as "Mic," who may-- JUST MAY-- hold the secrets to ending this nightmare, locked within... ...her broken mind.

Google Corp, and all you other wretched Corps, ... you just watch your back.

Geeks never got a school bus ride

[aiwarrior]

Geeks never got the chance of enjoying a good school bus trip without beeing mocked or running after the bus(look at peter parker). Now they want to get that part of teenagehood they were denied. Google is also putting hot chicks that actually want to sit with a geek, and thats why it aint cheap! Hail google the shuttle overlord.

Re:Geeks never got a school bus ride

[Tablizer]

Geeks never got the chance of enjoying a good school bus trip without beeing mocked

But the Google Bus will divide up into the BSD side and the Linux side, and all hell will break loose anyhow.

Re:Geeks never got a school bus ride

[Servo]

At least they can all share in laughing at the SCO employees riding the short bus.

Re:Why not Google Housing?

[Goblez]

I dont' know how wild most people are living quite so close to work. That day you *cough* call in sick *cough* and run down to get a soda or something and bump into a peer or worse yet a superior . . .

Obligatory

[Limecron]

We don't get French benefits?

Re:Why not Google Housing?

[Anonymous Coward]

Who is also supposed to be at work, so both of you do your best to pretend that you never saw each other.

Simpsons

[istartedi]

Why not a whole town? They could even have a hammock district.

In My Country

[xrayspx]

There is problem...

Sorry.