Project Summary
Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) have the potential to improve mobility and reduce parking demand. However, recent research has highlighted the additional vehicle travel and congestion generated by TNCs. The behavior of TNC drivers when out of service (i.e. between paid trips) has received little attention. Out-of-service TNC trips, however, generate vehicle travel through repositioning and cruising when in motion, and occupy curb and parking spaces. While cruising for parking and cruising by taxis have been extensively researched, there is little data to assess the extent of cruising by TNCs. This project will provide one of the first analyses of the impacts of out-of-service TNC trips on vehicle miles traveled and congestion. Investigators will use the City of San Francisco as a case study; focusing on how drivers’ choices affect congestion, vehicle miles traveled, and curb space availability. The project will apportion out-of-service TNC travel in San Francisco into these three categories, using a sample of millions of GPS traces of out-of-service TNCs. Many GPS traces will encompass more than one of these categories, but the working assumption is that each trace can be divided into segments that are characteristic of a single behavior. For example, a driver might reposition and then cruise. The second part of the project examines the factors that predict driver behavior. For example, how does the driver choice between repositioning, cruising and parking vary by driver hours worked, times of day, neighborhood demographics, urban form, and curb space regulation?
