MEASURING THE RESILIENCE OF RIDE SOURCING SERVICES

Abstract

The emergence of shared-economy platforms and smartphones has enabled the rise of on-demand transportation services, leading to new opportunities and complexities in urban mobility. These services are commonly referred to as Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) due to their internet-based nature. While ride-sourcing remains the most prominent service offered by TNCs, there is limited understanding of its impact on traditional taxi usage and other transportation modes, as well as the implications of having numerous idle vehicles cruising for passengers. This study aims to investigate the resilience of ride-sourcing services, considering various factors such as social, environmental, economic, adaptive capacity, and safety effects, along with the opportunities and challenges they pose to urban transportation. The study utilizes an index-based approach to measure resilience, involving five indicators as mentioned earlier. These indicators are then correlated with demographic variables to evaluate the resilience score of the twin city of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Through a linear regression model analysis, the research identifies significant factors influencing the growth of ride-sourcing services. By examining these various indicators, the study pinpoints key elements that hinder the expansion of these services. Additionally, the research seeks to understand the public's perception of ride-sourcing services by using descriptive analysis on selected indicators. Overall, this study's findings are expected to provide valuable insights into resilient aspects of the urban context related to ride-sourcing services. It aims to enhance local-level actions and support future planning decisions for the development of these services.