Tell us what you think about ride hailing in Philly
Since debuting in 2014 UberX, following a few months later by Lyft, have, it seems safe to say, reshaped the transportation landscape in Philadelphia.
We know the taxi industry has taken a big hit since ride hailing apps came to town. We know a lot of people turned to Uber and Lyft when SEPTA's city transit workers went on strike at the beginning of November. We know that in just three months this summer, the companies made a combined $53 million in the city.
We're seeking to learn, though, more specifics about how people are using this new service and how they feel about it. We're partnering with BeHeardPhilly, an initiative of Temple University's Institute for Survey Research, to survey how Philadelphians are using this new technology, who's using it, whether they like it, and what modes of travel it's replacing.
As of last month Pennsylvania finally cleared up the legal haze surrounding ride hailing apps in the city, and they seem to be here for the long haul.
Take the survey now, or take it by phone at (215) 204-5858, or by text, by texting @RIDESHARE to 73940.
A lot of the people taking this survey will be part of a preexisting panel BeHeardPhilly has assembled as part of its larger project to create a pool of several thousand Philadelphians who are representative of the city's population. But we want your help too.
The more people participate, the more accurate our information will be. So take the survey, tell us what you think of ride hailing apps in your life, but don't stop there. Share it with your friends. Encourage them to be heard too.
We're going to be promoting the survey throughout the week, and after we take it down we'll analyze the results and write a story based on the information gathered here. Hopefully, we'll have a better sense then of what ride hailing apps have meant in this city.
Thanks in advance for your participation. I'm eager to find out what we learn.