Limited Synergy Between Rideshare and Public Transport According to New Survey

Over 40% of rideshare drivers reported they did not do any public transport-related pickups or dropoffs the last day they drove, according to a new SherpaShare analysis, suggesting that rideshare trips are not connecting to other forms of transportation as frequently as many city planners would prefer.

Another 27% of drivers reported that fewer than 10% of their trips interfaced with public transport hubs the last day they drove.

“The responses suggest the number of rideshare rides that are used to connect to and from public transportation may be quite limited,” said Andy Pillsbury, VP at SherpaShare. “Cities will want to carefully evaluate which rideshare trips are competing directly with public transportation.”

The data is also consistent with other transportation industry studies. For example a report released last year by UC-San Diego found that between 49 and 61 percent of ride hailing trips would not have been made at all, or would have been made by walking, biking, or transit. This indicates many rideshare trips are replacing other forms of transportation.

The survey also suggested the number of ‘deadhead’ miles, or miles driven without passengers, may be on the rise. Of those drivers that noticed an upward or downward trend in deadhead miles, 63% reported the number of non passenger miles was increasing, while 37% reported dead head miles were decreasing.

SherpaShare’s monthly research program provides insights on all aspects of the ridesharing industry via a panel of over 1500 rideshare drivers.

Uber, Lyft, Smart City

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