In New York this Summer, Mayor Bill de Blasio sought to limit the number of new Uber drivers that could be added in the city because he thought Uber added to traffic congestion. The mayor said at a press conference on Friday that his administration would not allow any more Ubers into New York. It’s also possible that many more empty cabs are cruising Manhattan streets than last year, although it would not be financially viable for drivers — who primarily rent their cabs — to keep this up for very long. Information released by FiveThirtyEight suggests that, at least in terms of pickups (and not ride duration, route, etc.), Uber is simply replacing taxis in Manhattan’s most congested areas rather than adding to the number of pickups originating there.
In New York this Summer, Mayor Bill de Blasio sought to limit the number of new Uber drivers that could be added in the city because he thought Uber added to traffic congestion. The mayor said at a press conference on Friday that his administration would not allow any more Ubers into New York. Information released by FiveThirtyEight suggests that, at least in terms of pickups (and not ride duration, route, etc.), Uber is simply replacing taxis in Manhattan’s most congested areas rather than adding to the number of pickups originating there.