A New Way to Go: The Transportation Apps and Vehicle-Sharing Tools that Are Giving More Americans the Freedom to Drive Less

Abstract

The rapid advance of the Internet, mobile communications technologies and social networking - and the technology-enabled transportation services they are spawning has the potential to expand the share of American households with the freedom to live without a car, or to live with fewer cars than they own today. These new tools give Americans a broader array of convenient, flexible transportation choices - enabling them to drive when and where they need to, share rides where they can, and take full advantage of the particular benefits of public transportation, bicycling and walking. Many of these new services are still in their infancy, while others are well on their way to becoming important fixtures of the nation’s transportation system. Local, state and federal officials should take immediate steps to facilitate the growth of these services, while integrating emerging transportation technologies and tools into planning and decision-making for the future. This report looks at some of these emerging technologies and their impact on transportation choices. Topics covered include: social networking, carsharing, bikesharing, transit apps, ridesharing, multi-modal apps, taxi hailing and transportation network services. Policy recommendations are also included.