Massachusetts is entering one of the toughest stretches of the coronavirus pandemic, but already some are laying the groundwork for what our new, post-virus “normal will look like.” It’s critical they don’t repeat the mistakes of the past.
A day after blaming ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft for clogging roads and operating with “little oversight,” Gov. Charlie Baker is proposing to hike the per-ride fees on such services by 80 cents and to use much of the new funding to help the MBTA.
Boston is expanding a program that forces drivers for ride-hailing apps to pick up and drop off fares in specific spots instead of double-parking and clogging traffic after initial results showed success.
While TNCs are now an established part of our transportation ecosystem, we need to focus on influencing their role in being ultimately a contributor to enhanced shared mobility, congestion relief and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The MBTA went without $23 million last year in potential fare revenue from riders who decamped from the ailing public transit network for ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft, according to a new report that also put a big estimate on the net carbon footprint of the companies.
Drivers for ride-hailing giants Uber and Lyft in Boston and cities around the world are turning off their apps to protest what they say are declining wages at a time when both companies are raking in billions of dollars from investors.
Massachusetts Port Authority officials are weighing a plan they say will reduce congestion in East Boston and at Logan Airport and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
In response to a proposal from lawmakers to increase local fees on ride-hailing companies, Uber said the fees would place an unfair burden on Massachusetts residents who rely on its service.
Massachusetts is preparing to levy a 5-cent fee per trip on ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Lyft and spend the money on the traditional taxi industry, a subsidy that appears to be the first of its kind in the United States.
