The Impact of Ride Hail Services on the Accessibility of Nonprofit Services

Nonprofit organizations are responsible for providing a significant level of social services across the United States, often in collaboration with government agencies (Smith & Lipsky, 1993). In this work, they address some of the most pressing issues in society – including homelessness, poverty, health care and education (Andrews & Entwistle, 2010). While many of these organizations consider location and accessibility crucial to supporting their clients – often locating services near bus or train stops, for example - less is known about the impact of new technologies, including transportation network companies (TNCs, also called ridehail services) like Lyft and Uber, on nonprofit accessibility. These technologies, which are re-shaping transportation in both urban and suburban communities, are expected to dramatically change community mobility and the accessibility of services individuals seek. In addition, while transportation planners and public managers are beginning to develop a body of knowledge of the impact of new technologies on communities, the nonprofit sector has not yet systematically considered how to integrate TNCs and other technologies into their work with clients and other stakeholders. Do these services help fill gaps in client mobility needs? How are nonprofit organizations considering these services in meeting client needs? How do clients use TNCs to access social services and what are the obstacles to their use? This exploratory and qualitative study will be among the first of its kind to measure the impact of TNCs on community mobility, and their roles in providing access to nonprofit human services. This study includes semi-structured interviews with nonprofit executives and focus groups with clients in Seattle to explore opportunities and obstacles with TNC use. This study is set in Seattle as part of a larger study with Uber and Lyft data from the city. This study will inform our understanding of access to nonprofit services – especially those often provided for by government grants and contracts, and inform the development of evidence-based strategies for nonprofit managers seeking to reach clients that do not have access to personal vehicles or other transit options.

• Record URL:
  https://nitc.trec.pdx.edu/research/project/1357

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Completed
• Funding: $40039
• Contract Numbers:

  NITC-1357

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  University of Oregon, Eugene

  Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management, 119 Hendricks Hall
  Eugene, OR  United States  97403-1209
• Managing Organizations:

  TREC at Portland State University

  1900 SW Fourth Ave, Suite 175
  P.O. Box 751
  Portland, Oregon  United States  97201
• Performing Organizations:

  University of Oregon, Eugene

  Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management, 119 Hendricks Hall
  Eugene, OR  United States  97403-1209
• Principal Investigators:

  Mason, Dyana

• Start Date: 20191201
• Expected Completion Date: 20201130
• Actual Completion Date: 20210421
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accessibility; Focus groups; Impacts; Mobility; Ridesourcing; Social service agencies
• Geographic Terms: Seattle (Washington)
• Subject Areas: Passenger Transportation; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01723232
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: National Institute for Transportation and Communities
• Contract Numbers: NITC-1357
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Nov 20 2019 7:48PM