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Do ridesharing services cause traffic congestion?

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  • Jindong Pang
  • Shulin Shen

Abstract

This paper uses a difference‐in‐differences strategy and an event‐study analysis to evaluate the effect of Uber entries on vehicle miles travelled in 346 US Metropolitan statistical areas between 2011 and 2017. Empirical results demonstrate that Uber entries have no significant effect on the total vehicle miles travelled in a city. However, Uber is found to decrease the vehicle miles travelled on highways but increase them on collector roads. All these effects come mainly from large metropolitan statistical areas. A simulation exercise suggests that Uber entries cause longer travel times if the share of travel time spent on collector roads is high. Les services de covoiturage causent‐ils de l'encombrement de la circulation? Cet article utilise une stratégie des doubles différences et une analyse d'étude d'événement afin d'évaluer l'effet de l'arrivée du service Uber sur les véhicules‐milles parcourus (VMP) dans 346 régions métropolitaines aux États‐Unis entre 2011 et 2017. Les résultats empiriques montrent que l'arrivée d'Uber n'a aucun effet significatif sur les VMP totaux dans une ville. Toutefois, nous constatons qu'en raison d'Uber, les VMP diminuent sur les autoroutes et augmentent sur les routes collectrices. Tous ces effets proviennent surtout des grandes régions métropolitaines. Un exercice de simulation donne à penser que l'arrivée d'Uber provoque un temps de déplacement plus long si la proportion du temps de déplacement sur les routes collectrices est élevée.

Suggested Citation

  • Jindong Pang & Shulin Shen, 2023. "Do ridesharing services cause traffic congestion?," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 56(2), pages 520-552, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:canjec:v:56:y:2023:i:2:p:520-552
    DOI: 10.1111/caje.12630
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Handy, Susan L & Volker, Jamey M. B. & Hosseinzade, Reyhane, 2024. "Assessing the Effectiveness of Potential Vehicle-Miles-Traveled (VMT) Mitigation Measures," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt1pf307sp, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.

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