"This report consists of nine chapters. Chapter 2 describes the effects of technology on transportation in general, the innovative services relevant to this report, what is known about the use of these services, and their potential impacts. Chapter 3 explains the existing regulatory structure of the taxi, sedan, and limousine industries and the challenges to that existing structure presented by the rise of TNCs. Chapter 4 presents an economic framework for address- ing those challenges. Chapters 5 through 8 then review specific issues facing shared mobility services: Chapter 5 examines labor and employment issues; Chapter 6 addresses personal security for drivers and passengers and safety for the public; Chapter 7 reviews insurance issues; and Chapter 8 looks at issues of access and equity. Chapter 9 presents the overall conclusions resulting from this study and the committee’s recommendations for policy makers and regulators who must consider whether and how to regulate these new services to serve public policy goals, and outlines research needs."

Key findings

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"App-enabled transportation services are among the most remarkable urban transportation innovations in a generation; the technologies being deployed for these services are improving mobility in ways that have been proposed and discussed for decades but never before realized on a large scale. "

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"To the extent that shared mobility services are available to disadvantaged populations, they have the potential to enhance mobility among these groups. The emerging services frequently cost less than taxi services, and impose lower up- front costs (for vehicles) for travelers than owning a personal vehicle."

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"Increasing convenient travel alternatives, the new services may encourage lower household vehicle ownership levels without sacrificing personal mobility, thus eliminating the bias toward high-fixed, low-variable costs in mode choice decisions implicit in vehicle ownership. This, in turn, could spur travel by public transit, walking, and biking and potentially favor urban over suburban residential location choices."

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