Transportation experts often talk about the potential of Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) to solve the “last mile problem.” What they usually mean is the potential for people to use TNCs in combination with transit to reach key destinations just outside the reach of transit. Many of the collaboration pilots around the country between TNCs, transit agencies, and employers are aimed at addressing the last mile problem of work trips, particularly to suburban locations that lack safe... Read the rest of this entry »

On December 10, 2019, CNT’s tech challenge participants presented their final project results. Students from UIC and IIT partnered with three community groups – Austin Coming Together (ACT), Community Organizing and Family Issues (COFI), and Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School – to answer one guiding question: Is there a high cost to being poor? To answer this question community groups picked a topic most pressing to their community members. Are absentee landlords a problem in Austin... Read the rest of this entry »

In collaboration with the Institute for Sustainable Communities, CNT analyzed equity of access to smart mobility in Chicago and nine other cities across the country. The purpose of the report was to explore disparities in access to transportation options that incorporate technology, support a clean environment, and enhance access to opportunity. CNT calculated measures related to accessibility, employability, livability, and mobility, broken out by race, ethnicity, and income. Check out the... Read the rest of this entry »

In the weeks since Mayor Lightfoot proposed changes to the tax structure for ride hailing trips, much of the discussion around the changes has centered whether they are equitable. The transportation network companies (TNCs), as well as community leaders and residents have raised concerns that increasing fees will make using ride hailing unaffordable in Black and Brown neighborhoods on South and West Sides, where incomes are lower, car ownership less common, and these services have the potential... Read the rest of this entry »

As summers grow hotter and rainstorms increase in frequency and severity, it’s more important than ever to promote and invest in solutions that improve local climate resilience. However, governmental solutions often value pipes over natural permeability and engineering over community engagement. And, where nature-based stormwater solutions are installed, many residents are at risk of displacement due to increasing property values. While there’s no quick fix to this challenge, CNT, through... Read the rest of this entry »

Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) are increasingly significant contributors to the transportation system in Chicago. A recent study commissioned by Uber and Lyft estimated that Uber and Lyft rides represent 3.3% of VMT in Cook County. That figure is likely significantly higher in the city of Chicago, and particularly in some of the city’s most dense and congested neighborhoods. The city’s TNC dataset shows that different parts of the city are using TNCs differently, and these differences... Read the rest of this entry »

The City of Chicago recently released a new proposal to restructure the fees the city charges for rides people hail with transportation network companies like Uber, Lyft and Via. Currently, the City of Chicago charges a flat, per-trip fee for all TNC rides, regardless of whether the trip is a shared or solo ride, and regardless of where and when the trip occurs. The new proposal increases fees on solo rides, particularly those that begin and end downtown during times of peak congestion. Shared... Read the rest of this entry »

This July, Elevated Chicago celebrated its second birthday with an event hosted by the Foundation for Homan Square on the top floor of Nichols Tower. Elevated Chicago was initially organized in response to the Strong, Prosperous, And Resilient Communities Challenge (SPARCC), and it uses collaborative, community-led solutions to fight neighborhood displacement and inequities around seven CTA stations. CNT has been part of this collaboration since its birth in 2017. Elevated applies... Read the rest of this entry »

New technologies are changing how people get around. In cities around the world, cars, bikes, scooters, and even pogo sticks can be only a few taps on a smartphone screen away.  Of all these modes, Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) like Uber, Lyft, and Via are the most prominent. Here in Chicago, the number of active TNC drivers has grown from 15,000 in March 2015 to nearly 68,000 in 2019. In March 2019, over 10 million TNC trips took place in Chicago, with pickups and drop-offs in... Read the rest of this entry »

Since its inception, CNT has pioneered sustainable, equitable, and growth-oriented solutions that reimagine how cities think about transportation and land use. One area of work is equitable transit-oriented development (eTOD), which helps underserved communities tackle affordability, meet transportation needs, and decrease climate change impacts. In light of increased community interest in walkable, connected environments, CNT recently hosted a series of workshops addressing pertinent eTOD... Read the rest of this entry »