A first attempt at quantifying the travel of ride-hailing vehicles at the local level finds companies like Lyft and Uber with a massive footprint.
"The rise of Uber and Lyft in Seattle meant about 94 million additional miles were driven on Seattle-area roads in 2017," reports David Gutman.
That data is the headlining finding of a first-of-its-kind analysis of the local consequences of transportation network companies in Seattle, completed by Schaller Consulting.
"People took 20 million rides in Seattle in 2017 with transportation network companies (TNCs), the biggest of which are Uber and Lyft, according to data from the Seattle Department of Transportation," explains Gutman. Schaller Consulting used that data to estimate the 94 million figure.
"Uber and Lyft, Schaller’s study of nine major cities says, aren’t really causing people to drive less; they’re pulling passengers who otherwise would walk, take the bus or just stay home," according to Gutman. That conclusion supports findings originally reported in a study by Regina Clewlow.
FULL STORY: Uber and Lyft are increasing car traffic in Seattle. How much? 94 million miles
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