11 ms·
For Los Angeles, UberX, Lyft, and others have the potential to solve the "last mile" issue of public transit. Especially with newer carpool features like UberP
by cpprototypes 12y ago
For Los Angeles, UberX, Lyft, and others have the potential to solve the "last mile" issue of public transit. Especially with newer carpool features like UberPool and Lyft Line.
LA is currently investing a lot into building more light rail infrastructure. However, regardless of how much LA invests in rail, for most commuters the rail will only get them most of the way to their workplace. Before UberX and Lyft, the only options for the last leg of the trip were bicycle (which has a lot of limits), bus (too unreliable), and taxi (too expensive).
UberX and Lyft provide an option that didn't exist before. And it's cheap and reliable enough to a be a very good option. As LA continues to build more rail, I think it has the potential to greatly change commuting in the future. Maybe it will become common for young single people to not own a car and rely on Uber/Lyft combined with rail. And then when they get married and have kids, then buying one car makes sense. The result would also greatly reduce traffic and air pollution.
- jusben1369 12y agoGreat points! I actually fear that investment in light rail is going to look misplaced in just 10 years when automated electric cars operated by private companies like Uber and Lyft and whomever are going to scoot multiple people between two common points.
- wj 12y agoPotentially. But LA has millions of daily commuters. Automated electric cars will still clog up the freeways (thought hopefully less so due to less accidents, etc.) but the light rail should hopefully move more people quickly for 80% of their trips with Uber and Lyft providing the last mile. I personally think they should stop construction on the subway to the sea and roll our light rail across the city.
- jusben1369 12y agoI hear what you're saying. But what is light rail but several electric cars daisy chained? If you can put 4 people in one (a la car pooling) and give them a dedicated HOV lane between places.......
- delg 12y agoJesus, I guess, but compare the space efficiency of a rush hour train in an urban area to 4 people in an electric car. Not that I would want to sit in a car with 3 strangers, or my spouse and baby with 2...