CMU-led study finds that when Uber and Lyft enter cities, vehicle ownership increases

When ridesourcing (TNC) companies Uber and Lyft show up in urban areas, vehicle registrations per capita increase by 0.7% on average, increasing even more in car-dependent cities, according to a new study led by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University.

The study found no statistically significant average effect of TNC entry on fuel economy or transit use but did find evidence of heterogeneity in these effects across urban areas, including larger transit ridership reductions after TNC entry in areas with higher income and more childless households.