Uber plans to introduce a taxi service soon.
the section of Market Street without cars
In the upcoming days, as stated in a message delivered by a high-ranking official from the technology firm to one of Mayor Daniel Lurie’s principal assistants on Monday.
The relocation took place a month following Lurie’s permission.
Waymo
To chart the central city streets for their autonomous cars, a
controversial decision
That might add more traffic to a road intended exclusively for cyclists, public transport, and taxis.
The status of Waymo’s autonomous taxis within this category of approved vehicles has sparked considerable discussion. Competitors of Waymo have alleged that Lurie is providing preferential treatment to the company. Additionally, transit and bicycle advocates have objected, viewing it as an attempt to reintroduce cars into areas previously reserved for non-automotive traffic. However, officials from Lurie’s department argue thatWaymo’s rideshare services function similarly to traditional taxi operations and thus were justified in being allowed on Market Street, which was supposed to be free of private automobiles.
Currently, high-ranking officials at Uber aim to implement similar strategies for commercial rideshares — beginning with Uber’s service that allows passengers to schedule trips with professionally accredited taxi drivers, and rapidly extending to include Uber Black premium vehicles.
Although Uber had “faithfully adhered” to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency board’s decision in 2019 to prohibit personal vehicles from Market Street east of 10th Street, Uber’s leadership informed Lurie that they were caught off guard when he extended this section to include Waymo.
“Favoring one group to such an extent is highly troubling,” Uber’s top communication and public policy officer, Jill Hazelbaker, stated in a letter addressed to Lurie on April 10th. Upon hearing Lurie mention the pressing need to revitalize downtown as his reason behind the alteration, Uber’s leadership latched onto that justification.
“If your objective is to enhance the liveliness of the city center, excluding Uber drivers isn’t logical since they currently facilitate over three times the rides per day compared to Waymo, all while offering substantially cheaper rates and quicker pickups,” Hazelbaker stated in the April correspondence.
In her follow-up message to Ned Segal, who leads Lurie’s economic policies, sent on Monday, she suggested pausing the launch of Uber Black, the company’s premium rideshare option, and instead beginning with regular taxi services. Uber had initiated its taxi service as an experiment two years prior but directed these vehicles away from pedestrian-only Market Street.
According to Hazelbaker, this move was “a gesture of respect towards the mayor.” The Uber executives intend to hold off on rolling out Uber Black vehicles along all stretches of Market Street until Waymo completes its mapping process.
Hazelbaker stated that “the aim is to honor Waymo’s mapping deployment so that ultimately both Waymo and Uber (along with Lyft and all others) can introduce ride services simultaneously.”
A representative from Uber stated in an official comment that the organization aligns with Lurie’s dedication to rejuvenating the central business district of San Francisco.
“We’re dedicated to working alongside the City and drivers to guarantee equitable access on Market Street for the foreseeable future,” the statement read.
Lurie indicated he wouldn’t obstruct Uber’s goals, at least for the present time. A spokesman for the mayor, Charles Lutvak, stated that San Francisco “cannot anticipate a recovery in downtown areas unless we address the emptiness along Market Street, and we’re carefully considering the most effective strategies to bring people back.”
“As these adjustments unfold under current legislation, we will examine the data, assess their effects, and implement well-considered choices that emphasize public transportation and revitalize downtown areas,” Lutvak stated.
Supporters of public transit and pedestrian safety viewed Uber’s choice as part of an ongoing pattern of incursions, potentially resulting in a complete resurgence of cars on Market Street.
I am deeply worried about Uber reintroducing vehicles onto Market Street,” stated public transportation supporter Cyrus Hall. “In my view, ensuring everyone in the city can reach downtown requires providing ample and readily available public transit options. This should be our priority. It’s crucial that people across the city have easy access to the Market Street area.
Hall, who served as the campaign manager for a failed 2024 ballot initiative aimed at taxing ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft to support public transportation, stated that permitting additional vehicles on Market Street, particularly autonomous taxis, would likely “deteriorate” the quality of Muni service along the street.
“The inclusion of Uber only serves to open the floodgates to our past issues with Market Street: congestion and difficulty navigating,” Hall stated.
Yet some enterprises situated on Market Street that have faced challenges due to the start of the pandemic have consistently urged Lurie to bring back vehicular traffic, which includes rideshares.
The world has evolved since the initial conception of the car-free Market Street, making it worthwhile to reconsider,” stated Fernando Pujals, deputy director of the Mid-Market Business Association and Foundation. “We don’t think there’s a single solution, but…it makes sense for us to work towards reintroducing vehicles. Our members have expressed their interest in this change, and thus, we support efforts moving in that direction.
Pujals mentioned that his team wished for the city to introduce modifications on Market Street with an emphasis on enhancing public safety. In his view, increasing automobile traffic along the road might aid in revitalizing the area alongside initiatives aimed at hosting additional community events and promoting locals’ presence in Mid-Market and downtown regions.
“All of these elements functioning cohesively,” he stated, conveying optimism that the city might expedite the slow-paced revival of its central business district.
Leave a Reply