A Framework for Understanding the Impacts of Ridesourcing on Transportation

Abstract

The transportation sector is currently experiencing a monumental disruption with the introduction and evolution of technology and transportation services such as bikesharing, carsharing, on-demand ridesourcing, and microtransit. As these new layers of technology-based transportation options begin to flourish, it is important to understand how they compete and interact with more traditional modes. For example, ridesourcing theoretically takes an underutilized existing resource—empty seats in single-occupancy vehicles—and fills them with passengers. In reality, it is difficult to disentangle the interrelated short- and long-term outcomes and self-selection issues that arise from simply asking whether ridesourcing takes cars off the road or if we are siphoning from walking, bicycling, and transit modes. Beyond travel behavior, these evolving transportation services can also significantly impact our transportation systems, society, and the environment. Due to such complications, these outcomes have yet to be adequately studied. Accordingly, this book chapter provides a framework to investigate ridesourcing impacts. This, in turn, will help cities better account for the impact of technology and evolving transportation services in their planning processes.