A Denver study, conducted by Alejandro Henao—who worked as an Uber and Lyft driver while earning his Ph.D. (as well as a 5-star rating)—found that for every 100 miles of moving customers, his car had to move 169 miles. (1/5)
(And Alejandro parked his car immediately after every ride.) Uber’s own data are similar, and that figure does not take into account commuting to and from the first and last customer. So if Uber generates more travel, what is the transportation payoff? (2/5)
Theoretically, it is a reduction in car ownership, which over time would be expected to lower road use, since ride hailing raises the variable cost of each ride. (Car owners more readily travel by car, because their principal costs are fixed.) (3/5)
Evidence of a reduction in ownership is starting to trickle in. According to a Reuters poll, approximately 2% of Americans recently ditched their cars thanks to ride hailing. (4/5)
But think about it: if 2%—or even 20%—of Americans drive a bit less, is that enough to make up for the fact that each ride travels 69% further? Environmentalists who support ride hailing are not doing this math. (5/5)
