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A new study of ridesharing services in Los Angeles suggests that apps like Uber and Lyft could significantly increase transportation access for minority groups and low-income neighborhoods. The impact of this improvement is potentially disproportionate, as these populations have been so poorly served by traditional taxis and are less likely to own private vehicles. As a result, transit services may significantly increase their overall mobility, particularly in car-centric cities such as Los Angeles.
New research, conducted by UCLA Ph.D. Candidate Anne E. Brown and described by CityLab, used data from Lyft to find that the company's drivers served 99.8% of Los Angeles, and that users living in low-income areas made more trips per capita than those in medium and high-income areas. The study also found that the decrease in car ownership, related to low income and minority status, was also correlated with Lyft's increased use.
This suggests that a situation convenience for high income passengers is essential for those who do not have a car. Time and time again, research has shown that public transportation in US cities does not allow the poorest residents to gain access to employment, which puts them at a disadvantage and hampers the cities economy. Although carpooling services are generally more expensive for users than public transit, they are more convenient and reliable than most bus services, and certainly better than none at all.
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Discrimination Against Poor and Minority Communities in Canada. pre-Uber era had at least three elements. Studies and surveys conducted in several major cities have consistently shown that when they are hailed on the street, conventional taxis are less likely to stop for black passengers in particular. Taxis are also harder to find in neighborhoods populated by poorer residents, including in outlying areas of New York City.
The new study contrasts with previous findings, which show that at least some discrimination persists An application. A 2016 study, for example, found that African-American passengers could face waiting times up to 35% longer than white passengers and much more frequent cancellations.
But Brown's study situates this perspective in a broader perspective. In addition to studying Lyft data, Brown's team also conducted a field study of Lyft, Uber, and taxi rides. They confirmed the previous findings on taxi discrimination against black runners, who in this study waited up to 15 minutes longer than white runners. On Uber and Lyft, while disparities between white and black runners persisted, the extra wait time for black passengers did not exceed 2 minutes. The team found no substantial difference in waiting times between white, Asian and Hispanic runners using wrinkle apps.
Although Brown's findings are limited to Los Angeles, they are likely to influence the current regulations. cities. These debates are largely motivated by uncertainty about the complex impact of regulatory, security, traffic and established industry appeal services, rather than by access considerations. expanded to mobility.
The devastating impact of this phenomenon on this industry nationwide, but new data suggest that the taxi industry itself has inflicted damage that Uber and Lyft could help mitigate. London may also take notice – the city has tentatively renewed the Uber operating license this week, but will review it in a little over a year. As in Los Angeles, many of London's poorest residents are increasingly concentrated in outlying areas, which could be better served by road transport services than traditional taxis.
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