According to a Deloitte report, St. Louis commuters could save upwards of $220 million a year, with an additional $493 million in regional road construction savings. All the city needs to do is lift restrictions on rideshare.
St. Louis is the largest U.S. metro where transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft are banned. Ron Klein, executive director of the Metropolitan Taxicab Commission (MTC), "said differences between Uber and the MTC regarding insurance and background checks for UberX drivers must be resolved before UberX may operate in St. Louis."
A Deloitte report finds that commuter savings would be well worth lifting the ban. Additional benefits include environmental gains and reduced traffic accidents. "The report also said ridesharing in St. Louis could each year save 7.1 million hours in travel delays; save 2.8 million gallons of gas; reduce carbon emissions by 131,000 metric tons; and reduce accidents by 328." Traditional forms of rideshare like carpooling are included in the estimates.
Mayor Francis Slay has urged the MTC to adopt the services of transportation network companies. Whether the MTC's concerns are reactionary or justified is up to the future to decide.
FULL STORY: Report: Ridesharing could save St. Louis commuters $227 million annually
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