How ridesharing came to take over the world (in numbers)
Roll back the clock a decade or so and ridesharing was only just entering the market. Nobody knew its potential, or if it had the potential to change the face of the transport industry.
Now, it would be fair to say, we all know.
To say that ridesharing has transformed the way that we approach transport would be a gross understatement. Carsharing companies have never been so in-demand, and this doesn’t look to be halting any time soon.
Through the course of today’s article, we will now take a look at some of the ways that ridesharing has changed the way we approach taxis, and transport in general for that matter.
Taxis have officially been taken over
If we just hone in one ride-sharing company, in one city, the statistics are comprehensive to say the least. For example, in 2015 it was found that there were just over 14,000 cars operating as part of Uber, in comparison to the 13,500 that were the traditional yellow cabs.
It was this statistic that actually prompted some action from a New York court, which piloted e-hailing on yellow taxis. It’s moves like this which show just how quickly the ridesharing scheme has taken off.
Taxi drivers can earn more money
This has been something of a contentious issue, but the statistics from New York do show that many taxi drivers are actually making a lot more money through ridesharing services.
For example, the Washington Post reported that some drivers were making as much as $30 an hour as a “chauffeur” through these services. Whilst their job title may have been rebranded somewhat, it goes without saying that most are going to be happy with the direction this is heading.
The surprising stats on drink driving
This next statistic is bordering on the incredible, although like most of this ilk we would still like to see a lot more studies conducted before drawing concrete conclusions.
MADD took a look at statistics from July 2012, and found that there were 60 fewer crashes related to drunk driving every month since the rise of ridesharing. It was found at the same time that 70% of people feel that these services make them less likely to drive after drinking. This is said to be because of the ease and simplicity that the services offer, rather than wandering around the streets in search of a yellow cab.
The top and bottom: it makes people’s lives easier
There have been all sorts of studies that have been conducted about ridesharing. Some have attempted to find out if people would actually dispose of their own car in response to the services, with most people answering with a resounding no. At the same time, other studies have asked if ridesharing is the only way they get around, which again received an overwhelming no.
The top and bottom of it was that ridesharing makes people’s lives simple. Some developments might prompt further changes in their lifestyle over time, but for now it’s just about the ease of the platforms.