Examining ride sourcing services as an emerging mode in Metro Vancouver: Insights into trip characteristics and impacts on multimodal competitions

The availability and utilization of ride-sourcing services have the potential to transform how people travel. While these services could improve mobility and accessibility, they could also attract users away from active modes and public transit and increase congestion and emissions. Understanding the impacts of transportation network companies (TNCs) on the transportation system is critical to ensure that the benefits of ride-sourcing are captured, and its negative externalities are minimized. This study uses web-based survey data administered to Metro Vancouver residents to explore the characteristics of ride-sourcing trips and the early impacts of ride-sourcing use on mode choice, given that TNCs are new to the study area. Additionally, this study utilizes stated preference experiments and error-components mixed logit models to examine the influence of sociodemographic characteristics and attitudinal factors on mode choice decisions for commuting and non-commuting trips. The results offer insights into the relationship between ride-sourcing and private vehicles, local and regional transit, taxi, and active modes (such as walking and cycling). Furthermore, model results highlight the heterogeneity in mode substitution behavior across population segments. This study can help planners and agencies capitalize on the advantages of TNCs and better integrate ride-sourcing into the transportation system.