Uber in Towns of All Sizes: Reliable Transportation on Main Street
By Amy Smith and Andrew Salzberg, Policy Insights & Research
At Uber, we believe that safe and reliable transportation is important for communities of all sizes, from small towns to megacities. While Uber first found success in major metropolitan areas, our technology is increasingly being used to connect riders and drivers in smaller towns and cities, helping people get from A to B in areas where driving your own car has traditionally been the only option.
Because of lower densities, public transportation that matches the speed and convenience of driving has typically been more difficult to provide in these areas than elsewhere. In small urban and rural communities across the US, an estimated 41% of residents have no access to transit, and another 25% live in areas with below-average transit services. [1]
Case Study: Amherst, Massachusetts
We took a look at the town of Amherst, Massachusetts as an example. With a population of about 38,000 [3], Amherst is about 25 miles from its closest urban center, Springfield, MA, and over 90 miles from downtown Boston. Although the occasional rider uses Uber to get to a neighboring town or city, the vast majority or rides in Amherst both start and end within town limits. From October 2015 to February of this year, 92% of Uber rides beginning in Amherst were local trips, improving access in and around town.
Just as in other markets, Uber has been able to grow in Amherst by providing short pickup times. Since its introduction to the city in April 2015, wait times throughout the city have gone from just under 6 minutes on average to 3 minutes in December of last year. Although no comprehensive data is available, evidence suggests this is a significant improvement over the pre-existing alternatives. The map below shows the geographic distribution of wait times. In the center of town, wait times reach as low as 3 minutes, on par with those in New York City, Uber’s largest US market. Based on our experience there and elsewhere, we expect wait times across Amherst to continue to decrease as the market grows.
Those who know Amherst know that the university student population in town is significant. As a result, a lot of public transportation options are only available when the academic term is in session. During breaks in the academic calendar, transit routes are placed on hold or limited in response to reduced demand, making travel by bus especially difficult. Uber helps to fill this gap by being available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The map below shows trips that both started and ended in Amherst during the academic winter break in 2015, when classes are out and bus services are more limited.
Alternatives to driving are also limited during late night hours and weekends, exactly the times when alcohol-related driving accidents are likeliest. These incidents are especially tragic in smaller cities and towns, where collisions are more likely to result in death [5]. Since the launch of Uber service in Amherst, we’ve seen our highest volume of requests precisely during these times. The graph below shows the distribution of trips over the course of a typical week. What we’re seeing is that Uber provides reliable and convenient transportation options in Amherst at any time of day, even late at night, making it easier for residents and students to decide not to drive after drinking.
These are just the results of our initial analysis, and we’re constantly learning more about how riders and drivers in smaller towns and rural areas are using Uber. We look forward to digging in deeper to understand how Uber can help people in small communities get to where they need to go, when they need to get there.
Sources
[1] “The Benefits of Public Transportation: Mobility for America’s Small Urban and Rural Communities.” The American Public Transportation Association. <http://www.apta.com/gap/policyresearch/documents/rural.pdf>
[2] “Summary of Travel Trends: 2009 Household Travel Survey. U.S.” Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. <http://nhts.ornl.gov/2009/pub/stt.pdf>
[3] 2010 Census
[4] Amherst Transportation Plan. <https://www.amherstma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/31462>
[5] Ross, Philip. “Cities Safer Than Small Towns: Deaths From Accidents 40 Percent Higher Outside Urban Landscape, Says Study [REPORT].” International Science Times. <http://www.isciencetimes.com/articles/5704/20130724/cities-safer-small-towns-deaths-accidents-40.htm>.
