Policy Brief: Pooling Passengers and Services

In the past ten years, passenger and goods movement transportation systems have evolved rapidly. Shared mobility providers are filling gaps in service and creating new markets for delivery; vehicle fleets continue to electrify; and pooled services are increasing vehicle occupancy. The uptake of innovative pooled services, as well as automation, promise to continue the trend of transformative change. As the private sector continues to advance, there is a great need for institutional flexibility in managing and coordinating all users of transportation infrastructure, particularly on the State highway network and urban arterials. Recently, political will has shifted, with policymakers demonstrating interest in exploring more adaptive forms of current transportation user fees, along with innovative funding mechanisms via partnerships. Additionally, private mobility providers have expressed interest in direct user fees and incentivizing higher occupancy travel (e.g., Lyft, Uber, trucking industry). However, planners and policymakers currently do not have a method for distinguishing between private vehicles and shared services when envisioning the current and future transportation ecosystem. As such, investigations into how pioneering services will interface with access to rights-of-way and pricing strategies is critical as we plan for and adapt in the future.