Uber and Lyft won’t solve traffic. Local governments must step in. – The Washington Post Editorial Board

THOUGH RIDE-HAILING services have previously been accused of exacerbating traffic and disrupting local transportation, pooled options such as UberPool and Lyft Line have generally avoided such criticism. But according to a new report by transportation consultant Bruce Schaller, pooled rides have their own disruptive effects on transit systems and need to be part of the conversation.

Analyzing data from nine cities including the District, his study found that pooled ride services make traffic worse. It estimated that 60 percent of ride-hail customers would have otherwise used transit, walked, biked or stayed home if not for Uber and Lyft. Drivers also rack up miles as they drive around waiting for new customers or take circuitous routes to pick up riders. Based on the data, personal rides add 2.8 new vehicle miles for every mile of personal driving they eliminate — and pooled rides add 2.6 new vehicle miles. The difference between the two figures is negligible, noteworthy given the rate at which ride-hailing services are expanding.

The Washington Post Editorial Board

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/uber-and-lyft-wont-solve-traffic-local-governments-must-step-in/2018/08/04/f08f3e1c-95a5-11e8-a679-b09212fb69c2_story.html?utm_term=.187ac69da211