Innovation Can’t Fix Urban Transportation’s Woes
Ride-hailing and bike-sharing services or self-driving cars are more likely to create new problems than to solve old ones.
Take your pick.
Photographer: Qamar Sibtain/India Today Group/Getty Images
Urban transportation is undergoing a revolution. Offerings such as Uber and Lyft as well as car- and bike-sharing services are widely believed to reduce congestion and generally make urban dwellers more mobile; driverless cars are expected to provide further benefits. Yet the notion that these innovations always make things better is far from a given: The new services are a net good only if they complement traditional public transportation systems rather than compete with them.
In May, Nashville residents voted against funding a transit system built around light rail. The proposal’s opponents argued that the ride-hailing services provided a preferable solution for many, and that it was worth waiting for self-driving taxis rather than funding obsolete modes of transport that are losing customers in many U.S. cities.