TTC to study revenues lost to ride sharing services
TTC Commissioner Shelley Carroll has filed a Notice of Motion asking the TTC to study the impact ride hailing services Uber and Lyft have had on Toronto Transit Commission ridership and revenues since 2014.
“In the Ridership Growth Strategy 2018-2022, the TTC acknowledged the issue of digital ride-hailing diverting customers from transit. Our own numbers show adult ridership last saw significant growth in 2014 – the very year Uber started operating in the Toronto market. Since then ridership has been stable or declined,” reads the summary of the Motion, scheduled to be addressed at the April 14th TTC Commission meeting.
“The TTC and the City of Toronto need accurate, credible information so that we can make informed decisions. In light of existing budget problems, discussions around fare increases, and a post-pandemic recovery, it is absolutely essential to fully understand the impact that ride hailing companies like Uber and Lyft have on TTC fare revenue.”
Carroll’s Motion, seconded by Brad Bradford, recommends that the TTC Board direct the Chief Executive Officer to commission an independent, third party study of the impact of ride-hailing services on public transit, which specifically studies rides lost annually to ride-hailing since 2014 and ride loss projections based on anticipated growth of ride-hailing.
It also recommends the study look at changes to traffic congestion, vehicle kilometres travelled including commuting, cruising, on-route and in-service time by ride hailing vehicles and corresponding effect on TTC surface transit caused by the growth of ride-hailing apps.
The TTC Board meets on the second Wednesday of each month. The April 14th meeting will be broadcast on the TTC YouTube channel here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=–hVQZDg0RI&list=PLHk9W23ikE-tPv9lvNMHfjjPFpcuhVBVD&index=3
