Investigating Changes in Ride-Sourcing Use during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from a Two-Cycle Survey of the Greater Toronto Area

Abstract

The rapid spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has resulted in changes in modal preferences, leading to an increased preference for individual modes (e.g., private vehicles and active modes) and a reduced preference for shared modes. However, ride-sourcing represents somewhat of a middle ground between individual and shared modes, given the relatively limited number of interactions with strangers. Consequently, these services have the potential to serve as an alternative to public transit, particularly for those without a private vehicle. Given the extent to which ride-sourcing impacted transportation systems prior to the pandemic, as well as the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on modal preferences, it is essential to understand the short- and long-term impacts of the pandemic on ride-sourcing use. The goal of this paper is to examine how ride-sourcing use, attitudes toward ride-sourcing services, and the anticipated use of ride-sourcing in the postpandemic period have changed over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. The data for this study were obtained through a two-cycle survey conducted using a web-based interface in the Greater Toronto Area. The results suggest that ride-sourcing use and attitudes toward ride-sourcing services have rebounded from the initial impacts of the pandemic and that these services could be acting as an alternative to public transit. Additionally, the results highlight how changes in the utilization of ride-sourcing over the course of the pandemic can vary based on factors such as age, household income, and household vehicle ownership. The findings presented in this study can be used to help identify trends in ride-sourcing use that should be monitored both during and after the pandemic. This information can assist in the development of future data collection programs that can inform policies that aim to address the negative externalities of ride-sourcing services.