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Uber and Lyft admit they're making city traffic worse
Uber and Lyft may be competitors but as the two major ridesharing companies, they also have a lot in common -- including the challenges they face. To better understand their role in city traffic patterns, the companies jointly sponsored a study to determine their combined vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in six key cities. In a surprising twist, the results got Uber to admit that ridesharing companies, or transportation network companies (TNCs), do in fact contribute to congestion.
"The research shows that despite tremendous growth over the past decade, TNC use still pales in comparison to all other traffic, and although TNCs are likely contributing to an increase in congestion, its scale is dwarfed by that of private cars and commercial traffic," Chris Pangilinan, Uber's Head of Global Policy for Public Transportation, wrote in a blog post.
The study, conducted by Fehr & Peers, looked at Uber and Lyft trips in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington DC. In San Francisco County, Uber and Lyft were responsible for 13.4 percent of all VMT. In Boston, they accounted for eight percent, and in Washington, DC they represent 7.2 percent of vehicle-miles. Just over half of those miles (54 to 62 percent) were spent actually driving a passenger.
(Score: 1) by nitehawk214 on Thursday August 08 2019, @04:44PM (2 children)
Well, city buses don't usually go from where you are to where you want to go. Hell, if be fine with walking to a bus stop / getting a transfer of the buses had a map with UberLyft style positions of the bus. Around here, schedules are meaningless
"Don't you ever miss the days when you used to be nostalgic?" -Loiosh
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 08 2019, @05:22PM (1 child)
Translation: I'd totally pay for the bus but I don't want to pay for the bus.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 09 2019, @05:47AM
"I'd totally pay for the bus, but only when it works for me." That's what people do all the time; they just use a small bus. Lyft/Uber fits this behavior just fine.
The public bus will not become a convenient transportation until it goes from where you are to where you need to be, arriving timely. Not everyone can walk, being constrained by carried items, weather, safety, health, time...