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
Can Rideshare Catch On Where It's Easy to Drive?
In medium-sized cities and suburban areas, it's simply easier to drive your own car in most cases. But shared rides might still have a chance to catch on.
Op-Ed: Why Uber Wasn't Welcome in Austin
In the spirit of civic self-congratulation, Austin resident Richard Parker writes about how the transportation network company giants canceled service after losing a referendum vote. He ascribes this victory to the city's enduring contrarian streak.
Uber's Stumble Into Urban Design
As companies like Uber, Lyft, and Bridj expand to small scale transit options, they are setting the stage for a new kind of small scale transit oriented development where the new station is the sidewalk.
Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.
HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.
Has President Trump Met His Match?
Doug Ford, the no-nonsense premier of Canada's most populous province, Ontario, is taking on Trump where it hurts — making American energy more expensive.
OKC Approves 7.2 Miles of New Bike Lanes
The city council is implementing its BikeWalkOKC plan, which recommends new bike lanes on key east-west corridors.
Preserving Houston’s ‘Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing’
Unsubsidized, low-cost rental housing is a significant source of affordable housing for Houston households, but the supply is declining as units fall into disrepair or are redeveloped into more expensive units.
The Most Popular Tree on Google?
Meet Rodney: the Toronto tree getting rave reviews.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Florida Atlantic University
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
City of Piedmont, CA
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland