Ads Matter: What Uber's Marketing Says About High-Capacity Public Transit

Transit consultant Jarrett Walker argues that Uber's ads betray dark aspirations for the future of transit.

2 minute read

October 7, 2016, 12:00 PM PDT

By Casey Brazeal @northandclark


Straphangers

Bright097 / Shutterstock

In a recent blog post, transit consultant Jarrett Walker, took issue with an Uber ad showing a woman who had recently missed a train. This ad is one of a number of billboards and bus advertisements that compare mass transit with Uber, and while these ads may seem innocuous to the average person, Walker saw something more pernicious at work. "I reminded readers of what it would mean to shift large numbers of people from big transit vehicles, like the subway pictured here, to individual Uber cars — in terms of outcomes for cities, society, and the environment."

For their part, Uber contacted Walker to tell him that the ad was being removed. Walker noted this as a good move, but emphasized that his original complaints were still valid. "This ad also had a context, as part of a torrent of messages — from many parts of the culture including the tech industry — that encourage contempt for public transit, or at least apathy about it, among the relatively fortunate."

The argument is that the danger of these ads is in part their feigned light-heartedness, "Advertising always wants to engage us with a wink and a nod, so that we’ll forgive it for implying things that the company wouldn’t want to defend having said directly."

This ad may be going away, but the tension between ride sharing and mass transit isn't going anywhere.

Tuesday, October 4, 2016 in Human Transit

portrait of professional woman

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 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 Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

May 7, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Person in yellow safety suit and white helmet kneels to examine water samples outdoors on a lake shore.

USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure

If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.

May 1, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Aerial view of Freeway Park cap park over I-5 interstate freeway in Seattle, Washington at night.

Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.

April 30, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Mobile home park at dusk.

Poor Conditions in Mobile Home Parks Put Residents at Risk

Failing infrastructure, poor water and air quality, and predatory owners endanger the health of manufactured home residents, many of whom are elderly and low-income.

May 11 - Next City

Complete Streets

How Complete Streets Stands to Lose in the FY26 ‘Skinny Budget’

The President’s proposed budget could cut key resources for active transportation, public transit, and road safety programs.

May 11 - Transportation for America

Historic Dairy Queen restaurant building with neon signs at night.

Dairy Queen and Rural Third Places

Dozens of Dairy Queen restaurants across Texas are closing, taking a critical community space with them.

May 11 - The Daily Yonder

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.