Transit & TNCs
Lyft and Uber Won’t Be Happy Until They’re Your One-Stop Transit Guide
Uber and Lyft came to prominence with their ride-hailing services. But increasingly they’re betting on other modes of transportation — with the aim of becoming the only service people need to get around cities.
Lyft on Monday struck a deal to buy the core parts of Motivate, the parent company of CitiBike in New York and seven other bike-sharing programs around the United States. At first, that acquisition may seem puzzling — why would a ride-hailing giant want to get into the far smaller market for bicycles? — but there’s a bigger idea at work here.
How Ride-Hailing Could Improve Public Transportation Instead of Undercutting It
Over the last half-decade, public transit ridership declined nationwide. The number of vehicle miles traveled in cars is rising, and traffic congestion is getting worse in many U.S. cities. At the same time, the century-old taxi industry is struggling, with many taxi companies going bankrupt.
Are ride-hailing companies such as Lyft and Uber to blame? What has been their impact and what should be done?
Dallas Transit Embraces Uber, Lyft and Other Mobility Options
Dallas transit riders can do much more than purchase bus or train tickets with the region's GoPass app. Riders can now use it to book a ride with Uber or Lyft, and will soon be able to schedule other modes of getting around, such as renting a bike on one of the city’s five bike-share apps.
“The bottom line is DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) is looking at a very open platform,” said Tina Mörch-Pierre, assistant vice president for payment systems and statistical reporting at DART. “We want the customer to have the choice, whether it’s the brand — an Uber or Lyft — a certain type of taxi, whether it’s the cost, the time or the distance, we just want the customer to make that decision.”
