Testimony
from:

Marc
Hyden, Director of State Government Affairs, R Street Institute

Testimony
on Ridesharing

May
21, 2019

Senate Judiciary A Committee

Chairman and members of the committee,

My name is Marc Hyden, and I am
the Director of State Government Affairs for the R Street Institute, a
nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy research organization. Our mission is to
engage in policy research and education in many areas, including the ridesharing
industry, and I appreciate the opportunity to provide a national perspective on
ridesharing.

To date, 45 states, excluding
Louisiana, have enacted a statewide regulatory framework to govern and permit
the use of ridesharing apps. States without such a regulatory system have
largely relegated ridesharing to a few isolated corners of their states. However,
states with uniform regulatory systems have seen great benefits on many fronts,
ranging from improved public safety to increased job creation.

Research suggests that ridesharing drastically limits intoxicated driving. In fact, DUIs plummeted across Georgia[i] and in Miami, Florida when ridesharing companies entered those markets.[ii] It’s easy to see why. Lyft and Uber rides are convenient, cost-effective and provide an improved customer experience. This invites drinkers to forego driving while intoxicated.

Beyond reducing drunk driving and saving lives, ridesharing creates new jobs with great flexibility. Lyft and Uber can create quality jobs too. The average full-time UberX driver in New York City, for instance, earns over $90,000.[iii] But many only work part-time in order to supplement their incomes, and since Lyft and Uber offer great flexibility, drivers can choose what part-time hours they wish to work at their convenience.

Ridesharing’s solutions aren’t
limited to public safety and job creation. Lyft and Uber can help in a host of
other ways that benefit more vulnerable members of society. Indeed, ridesharing
is an ideal reliable transportation option for senior citizens, the disabled
and those who cannot afford a personal vehicle.

The bottom line is that certain
gaps exist in the transportation market, and ridesharing companies can help
fill those gaps while creating new jobs and reducing instances of drunk
driving.

Thank you
for your time,

Marc Hyden

Director, State Government Affairs

R Street Institute

(404) 918-2731

[email protected]


[i]
Hyden, Marc, “The Uber effect on drunk driving,” Marietta Daily Journal, Nov. 8, 2018.

[ii]
Charles, Rabin, “DUI arrests in South Florida plummet. Uber, Lyft, millennials
among the reasons why,” Miami Herald,
July 31, 2018.

[iii]
MacFarland, Matt, “Uber’s remarkable growth could end the era of poorly paid
cab drivers,” Washington Post, March 27,
2014.

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