Does ride-sharing substitute for or complement public transit?
Ride-sharing apps like Uber, Lyft, Grab, and DiDi have become ubiquitous in cities around the world, but have also attracted much backlash from established taxi companies. Despite its adoption worldwide, regulation of ride-sourcing services still varies greatly in different parts of the world, as policymakers struggle to assess its impact on the economy and society with limited information and yet-unidentified risks involved. One major consideration to improve mobility and sustainability in cities is whether ride-sourcing apps serve as a substitute or complement for public transit. In an ideal situation, ride-sharing could complement transit service and help to reduce private car usage. However, as an alternative travel mode, it may also substitute for the transit. To understand more about this and the impact upon cities, Hui Kong, Xiaohu Zhang, and Jinhua Zhao from SMART Future Urban Mobility interdisciplinary research group (IRG) and the JTL Urban Mobility Lab at MIT recently conducted a study...