Impact on safety Crimes have been committed by rideshare drivers as well as by individuals posing as rideshare drivers who lure unsuspecting passengers to their vehicles by placing an emblem on their car or by claiming to be a passenger's expected driver. The latter led to the
murder of Samantha Josephson and the introduction of
Sami's Law. Ridesharing companies have been accused of not taking necessary measures to prevent sexual assault. They have been fined by government agencies for violations in their background check processes. Ridesharing has also been criticized for encouraging or requiring phone use while driving. To accept a fare, some apps require drivers to
tap their phone screen, usually within 15 seconds after receiving a notification, which is illegal in some jurisdictions since it could result in
distracted driving. Ridesharing vehicles in many cities routinely obstruct
bicycle lanes while picking up or dropping off passengers, a practice that endangers cyclists.
Driver bias against passengers in certain demographic groups While
audit studies have shown that some rideshare drivers discriminate against riders on the basis of race, discrimination has been shown to be less than that of taxi drivers. In a study set in Los Angeles in 2017, the author had participants of different races request rides from Uber, Lyft, and taxis. She found that Black riders were 73% (11 percentage points) more likely to have a taxi driver cancel on them than White riders. On the other hand, she found that Black riders were only 4 percentage points more likely to be cancelled on by an Uber driver than White riders (there was no statistically significant difference in likelihood for Lyft).); even when no drivers were cancelling on riders because of their race, the authors found that Black riders were waiting around 50% longer on average than White riders. In addition to the studies discussed in detail above, a 2018 study in
Washington, D.C. found that drivers cancelled ride requests from
African Americans and
LGBT and
straight ally passengers (indicated by a
rainbow flag) more often, but cancelled at the same rate for women and men. The higher cancellation rate for African American passengers was somewhat attenuated at peak times, when financial incentives were higher.
Impact on jobs Studies have shown that ridesharing companies have created net jobs. A study by the
National Bureau of Economic Research published in November 2024 stated that "Ridesharing dramatically increased the pace of entry of workers into the taxi industry".
Impact on vehicle for hire efficiency Studies have shown that ridesharing companies improved the efficiency of drivers of
vehicles for hire due to advanced algorithms that pair riders with drivers. They also provide efficiencies in pricing, allocation of resources, and transaction costs.
Impact on taxi drivers Values of
taxi medallions, transferable permits or licenses authorizing the holder to pick up passengers for hire, have declined in value significantly. In 2018, this led to
failures by
credit unions that lent money secured by taxi medallions and suicides by taxi drivers.
Impact on traffic congestion Studies have shown that especially in cities where it competes with
public transport, ridesharing contributes to
traffic congestion, reduces public transport use, has no substantial impact on vehicle ownership, and increases
automobile dependency.
Dead mileage specifically causes unnecessary carbon emissions and traffic congestion. A study published in September 2019 found that
taxis had lower rider waiting time and vehicle empty driving time, and thus contribute less to congestion and pollution in downtown areas. However, a 2018 report noted that ridesharing complements public transit. A study published in July 2018 found that Uber and Lyft are creating more traffic and congestion. Studies citing data from 2010 to 2019 found that Uber rides are made in addition to taxi rides, and replace walking, bike rides, and bus rides, in addition to the Uber vehicles having a low average occupancy rate, all of which increases congestion. A 2021 study found that shifting private vehicle travel to ridehailing services can reduce air pollution costs, on average, but the increased costs from crash risk, congestion, climate change and noise outweigh these benefits. This increase in congestion has led some cities to levy taxes on rides taken with ridesharing companies. ==See also==