Study: Uber and Lyft Have Been Catastrophic for Public Transit Ridership

The most damning evidence yet of how ride hailing is making urban transportation less efficient, not more.

1 minute read

January 23, 2019, 10:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


BART Station

Travis Wise / Flickr

Angie Schmitt shares news of a new study [pdf] revealed at the Transportation Research Board annual meeting earlier this month that makes the broadest case yet that transportation network companies (TNCs) like Uber and Lyft are stealing riders from public transit systems all overt the country.

"When Uber and Lyft enter a city, the app-based taxis decrease rail ridership by 1.29 percent per year and decrease bus ridership by 1.7 percent," explains Schmitt of the key findings of the study.

"Worse, the effect is cumulative. Authors Michael Graehler, Richard Mucci and Gregory Erhardt estimate that Uber and Lyft for example, have reduced bus ridership in San Francisco a staggering 12.7 percent since they entered the market in 2010."

The declines have occurred in almost every major city, except Seattle.

The study also examined the effects of bike share, which "increased rail ridership, but decreased bus ridership by 1.7 percent."

Tuesday, January 22, 2019 in Streetsblog USA

Young Professional

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

Get top-rated, practical training for planners

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

A pencil rendering of Foundry Park, which shows skyscrapers and public green spaces.

Chicago breaks ground on $3 billion megadevelopment

The new neighborhood, titled Foundry Park, will one day host 3,700 residences.

October 23, 2026 - Chicago Sun Times

A swamp in South Carolina with tall pale trees and Spanish moss in the water.

Satanic Place Names

From streams and lakes to valleys and canyons, I mapped more than 1,000 places named after the Devil.

5 hours ago - The Daily Yonder

A rendering of a high speed rain station in California, with wide platforms and a sleep train with yellow highlights.

California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO resigns after $600,000 scandal

Under Ian Choudri, the authority used taxpayer dollars to fund first class flights and trips to nightclubs.

October 30 - Cal Matters

 A bridge stretches across the Missouri River at Chamberlain, South Dakota.

Want to study the Missouri River? Soon, you may need unanimous approval from 10 states

Legislation would require 10 governors’ permission to study or build projects moving water outside the basin.

October 30 - South Dakota Searchlight