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First analysis of how Uber and Lyft have affected roadway congestion in SF

sfcta.org

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Re: First analysis of how Uber and Lyft have affected roadway congestion in SF

#21

Post by almost_usual »

liotier wrote: post #18
product50 wrote: post #15

Uber is really a heaven sent product for me and my family. We have to pick up and drop off our daughter at her day care on a daily basis and without Uber, I am not sure how would we have done it. I hope we can expand studies like this with the quality of life improvement which services like Uber have been responsible. Also, there are other things which have improved too. Such as less drunk driving, improved safety es…

> We have to pick up and drop off our daughter at her day care on a daily basis and without Uber I'm amazed that Uber is considered an affordable commute device. Is that a SV phenomenon ?

It’s a phenomenon for people wanting to live in the suburbs not in the suburbs.

Re: First analysis of how Uber and Lyft have affected roadway congestion in SF

#22

Post by pmiller2 »

austenallred wrote: post #16

This is why it blows my mind that scooters are effectively banned in San Francisco. They’re such a perfect solution for inner-city travel.

They would be perfect if people rode them in the street, in the bike lanes.

Re: First analysis of how Uber and Lyft have affected roadway congestion in SF

#23

Post by dirkgently »

Hansenq wrote: post #5

The issue with conclusions of reports like these is that yes, Uber/Lyft contributed to a congestion increase, but what would that increase have looked like without Uber/Lyft? How much would congestion have increased by without Uber/Lyft (due to the strong economy, jobs, etc)? Would people instead have purchased cars and driven them around instead? Would we actually have had higher congestion? Publishing reports like…

Typical HN reaction - smug intelligent-sounding question to doubt the validity of a hypothesis backed by data and detailed analysis, by completely ignoring the details in a given linked article.

Your question is answered on page 15 (How Do We Determine the Causes of Changes in Congestion?) of the report you are happy to debunk so eagerly.

Link (PDF): https://www.sfcta.org/sites/default/files/content/Planning/T...

Re: First analysis of how Uber and Lyft have affected roadway congestion in SF

#24

Post by faitswulff »

product50 wrote: post #15

Uber is really a heaven sent product for me and my family. We have to pick up and drop off our daughter at her day care on a daily basis and without Uber, I am not sure how would we have done it. I hope we can expand studies like this with the quality of life improvement which services like Uber have been responsible. Also, there are other things which have improved too. Such as less drunk driving, improved safety es…

Do Ubers have carseats?

Re: First analysis of how Uber and Lyft have affected roadway congestion in SF

#25

Post by sirlantis »

pmiller2 wrote: post #22
austenallred wrote: post #16

This is why it blows my mind that scooters are effectively banned in San Francisco. They’re such a perfect solution for inner-city travel.

They would be perfect if people rode them in the street, in the bike lanes.

You mean the Uber parking lanes?

Re: First analysis of how Uber and Lyft have affected roadway congestion in SF

#26

Post by radicalbyte »

pmiller2 wrote: post #22
austenallred wrote: post #16

This is why it blows my mind that scooters are effectively banned in San Francisco. They’re such a perfect solution for inner-city travel.

They would be perfect if people rode them in the street, in the bike lanes.

I don't understand why cities even allow cars. For example Amsterdam would work so much better if the roads became bike/electric-scooter* lanes with limited car access.

In New York (well, Manhattan), London and Paris it would work even better because you have a subway.

That would also solve the air quality problems of those cities in one fell swoop.

* Gas scooters - particularly two-stroke - are a relic from the past and need to be banned.

Re: First analysis of how Uber and Lyft have affected roadway congestion in SF

#27

Post by kartan »

Hansenq wrote: post #5

The issue with conclusions of reports like these is that yes, Uber/Lyft contributed to a congestion increase, but what would that increase have looked like without Uber/Lyft? How much would congestion have increased by without Uber/Lyft (due to the strong economy, jobs, etc)? Would people instead have purchased cars and driven them around instead? Would we actually have had higher congestion? Publishing reports like…

> Publishing reports like these without controlling for the economy/jobs/popularity of these cities seems to me to be an unfair attack on Uber/Lyft, where the real culprit might just be a strong economy.

I agree. That is why this report is so good. The section "How Do We Determine the Causes of Changes in Congestion?" covers this question.

" this time to systematically estimate the individual contributions to changes in roadway congestion of the factors of transportation network supply change, population change, employment change, and TNCs."

I agree that they have done a good job and that the conclusion that Uber/Lyft contributes to congestion increase is very valid and should be considered to take actions in the city.

Re: First analysis of how Uber and Lyft have affected roadway congestion in SF

#28

Post by listic »

austenallred wrote: post #16

This is why it blows my mind that scooters are effectively banned in San Francisco. They’re such a perfect solution for inner-city travel.

The kick scooters, you mean? Not the motor kind: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Y6fYNT3es4

Re: First analysis of how Uber and Lyft have affected roadway congestion in SF

#29

Post by pm24601 »

burlesona wrote: post #6
Hansenq wrote: post #5

The issue with conclusions of reports like these is that yes, Uber/Lyft contributed to a congestion increase, but what would that increase have looked like without Uber/Lyft? How much would congestion have increased by without Uber/Lyft (due to the strong economy, jobs, etc)? Would people instead have purchased cars and driven them around instead? Would we actually have had higher congestion? Publishing reports like…

How exactly would you control for all the rest? Where is there another San Francisco that doesn’t have Uber that we can go measure? I think these estimates pass the sniff test at least. Downtown SF has very little parking relative to demand, so Uber / Lyft are practically the only way to get there in a car.

Is this a trick question?

I use Muni and Caltrain.

Re: First analysis of how Uber and Lyft have affected roadway congestion in SF

#30

Post by almost_usual »

A MUNI bus ride is 1/10 the cost of an Uber or Lyft and people would rather spend the extra money to not deal with the SF public. Ride share to work, your favorite restaurant, bar, and then home. It’s like living in the suburbs in the city.

I wonder how many people who can’t afford a vehicle but don’t want to deal with public transit would leave SF if ride sharing was banned outright.

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