Sustainable Transportation Implications of On-Demand Ride Services

2018PDFTech ReportCongestion management systemsMobilityPolicy makingPollutionRidesharingSustainable transportationVehicle miles of travelAdministration and ManagementHighwaysPolicyPublic TransportationUnited StatesNational Center for Sustainable TransportationPike, SusanKrantz, KelilaUniversity of California, Davis. Institute of Transportation StudiesUniversity Transportation Centers Program (U.S.)United States. Dept. of Transportation. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and TechnologyUS Transportation CollectionThe purpose of the research presented here is to assess the need and support for potential local and statewide actions that might improve sustainability and mobility outcomes related to on-demand ridehailing services. This study analyzes stakeholder preferences for policy-making within different venues, and involving different interests. The past policy landscape related to on-demand ridehailing services, such as Uber and Lyft, has focused on four inter-related areas. 1. Establishing market guidelines, taking into account incumbent services, or other industries impacted by new services. 2. Ensuring fair labor practices for those who provide the service as drivers or chauffeurs. 3. Protecting consumers and drivers, through insurance requirements and background checks. 4. Providing service equitably both in terms of geographic area, as well as for individual passenger needs. There has also been a dialogue related to the uncertainty about whether on-demand ridehailing services will exacerbate existing transportation issues, including congestion, emissions and inequality of access/mobility; or help alleviate them. On-demand ridehailing services present an opportunity for policy makers, and other stakeholders to focus on new ways to achieve a more sustainable and accessible transportation system. To that end, this study gathered perspectives from stakeholders across a number of sectors, on the types of actions that might enable on-demand services to help alleviate existing transportation issues. These actions might include incentivizing trips with two or more passengers; facilitating intermodal connections with public transit or active modes, and improving access in areas that are underserved. The political feasibility, and support for various policy avenues is largely unexplored. The perspectives of the stakeholders who will be most affected by these policy decisions, and the extent to which policy intervention is needed, as well as an evaluation of policy mechanisms that will best facilitate these outcomes is not yet well understood. This study focuses on three inter-related questions aimed at gaining a better understanding of these perspectives: 1. How well do stakeholders in various roles agree about the potential goals and outcomes related to on-demand ridehailing and sustainable transportation goals? 2. What policies and strategies will facilitate emerging on-demand transportation services to most effectively enhance sustainability and mobility outcomes? 3. What decision making venues and approaches are supported by different stakeholders in the process, and how can these approaches be pursued in order to realize policy goals related to sustainability of on-demand ridehailing? i.e. what venues, and at what level can most effective policies be introduced to facilitate sustainability improvements in transportation by embracing on-demand ridehailing services