Ride-hailing services could actually make traffic worse, study suggests

CTVnews.ca
March 8, 2017

As B.C. braces for the introduction of Uber and other ride-hailing services, a new study cautions they could actually cause a spike in traffic.

The report examined the impact of app-based ride services, including carpool options such as LyftLine, in New York City, and found a concerning upward trend in vehicle distance travelled.

According to the data, apps accounted for an increase of 600 million driving miles in New York from 2013 to 2016, even after factoring in a dip in the use of traditional taxis and personal vehicles.

"Current volumes of pooled rides combined with exclusive-ride trips are producing a large overall increase in mileage - not reducing congestion or carbon emissions," it reads.

Transportation officials in Seattle have also reportedly blamed ride-hailing services for adding to congestion during busy commuting hours.

The New York study suggests the convenience of such services is attracting people who would otherwise walk, bike or use transit - a troubling potential consequence for Vancouver's municipal officials, who have emphasized a green agenda.

"For customers who are looking for that trip out of the downtown core, they might get that - but there could be all kinds of other consequences they haven't thought about," Deputy Mayor Geoff Meggs said.

One of the city's goals is for the majority of trips to be taken by foot, bicycle and public transit by 2020. Vancouver has very nearly met that target, according to its own numbers, but the New York study cautions app-based driving services have the potential to "undermine public transit… services that are essential components of urban transportation networks."

Uber disputed the findings Wednesday, claiming the study used a flawed methodology, and pointed to other research that indicates ride-hailing customers tend to drive less and take more public transit.

Patrick Condon, chair of the Urban Design Master’s Program at UBC, said he found the New York study persuasive, however.

"The evidence was strong that it did increase congestion," Condon said. "I think [ride-hailing] reduces some aspects of car ownership and use, it reduces the need to find a place to park, but I'm not convinced that it reduces congestion at all."

B.C. Premier Christy Clark was asked about the potential that Uber and other companies could worsen traffic in the province at a news conference, but did not address the issue directly.

"Ride sharing is coming and we know people want it," Clark said. "I think there's always critics but the citizens of the province, the vast, vast majority of people who want it, I think they're on the right side of this one."

Her government has pledged to take more feedback before implementing its plans in time for the 2017 holiday season, and has outlined a number of measures intended to address potential issues with the rollout. None appear to be congestion-focused, however.