No, I've never used a PBS system before but I have acquaintances that use it or have used it. I am no longer in contact with either of those guys. My comparison above to a PBS type system was not a good one. My point was that, after the conflict resolution/drop/add window, those trips are removed from open time and awarded and you know as a conflict guy within a few days what your next month schedule looks like. If you're a VTO line holder, you no longer have those trips to choose from and can no longer waste a secondary line choice on a trip(s) that's already been awarded.
All I'm saying is that in 2011, there should be some way/method/technology where the #1 VTO line holder can go in to open time and pick his trip(s) for the upcoming month and as long as they are legal and don't exceed some BLG constraints, that trip(s) belongs to him AND (this is my BIG point) those trips are removed from the 'bucket' of trips that the other VTO holders have to choose from. Then the #2 guy goes in, picks his trips, etc, etc.... It's a close approximation to real-time trip trading.
I've got no idea how this would/could work and it would be the ONLY way I would consider a PBS type system specifically for VTO lines.