Skip to main content

Uber calls on US legislators to prioritise VRUs

Uber is urging the US House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure to prioritise the safety of vulnerable road users (VRUs) through funding and incentive programmes. 
By Ben Spencer January 28, 2020 Read time: 1 min
Uber is releasing Jump bike data as part of its pitch to US lawmakers

In a letter, Uber – which owns the Jump bike-share brand - says new mobility infrastructure legislation would require new lanes for every street once it is re-paved. The company suggests using a formula developed by the National Association of City Transportation Officials for determining bike infrastructure based on traffic speed and volume. 

Congestion pricing legislation would help fund mass transit and mobility infrastructure while helping decrease traffic by disincentivising the dependence on personal cars, the ride-hailing giant adds. 

As part of the commitment, Uber is launching a free data tool that combines Jump bike volume with a city street view. It says this will aid decision-making in improving bike safety throughout a city while also allowing users to compare weekday and weekend volume. 

According to Uber, the tool - available in San Francisco, Washington, DC and Paris - can help cities better pinpoint where new micromobility infrastructure, like protected bike lanes, can be located to serve the most people on bikes and scooters in a city. 
 

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • US Cities push for smarter poles
    June 25, 2018
    US Cities The need to connect existing infrastructure has led various US transit authorities into imaginative alleyways: David Crawford examines some new roles for street furniture. US cities are vying with each other in developing schemes to create a new generation of connected places. Their strategies include taking advantage of their streetlight poles’ height and ubiquity to give them new roles in supporting intelligent nodes. They are now being equipped for collecting real-time data on key transport
  • Open data gives new lease of life to public travel information screens
    March 4, 2014
    David Crawford finds resurgent interest in travel information screens for buildings. With city governments worldwide increasingly opening up and sharing their public transport data for general use, attention is focusing on the potential financial benefits – to transit operators and businesses more widely. Professor Stephen Goldsmith, who directs the US’ Harvard University’s Data-Smart City Solutions Project says: “Amid nationwide public-sector budget cuts, open data is providing a road map for improving tra
  • Sandra Phillips of Movmi: ‘We’re all trying to get people moving without a car’
    April 30, 2021
    Movmi founder Sandra Phillips talks to Adam Hill about why transport integration is sometimes a matter of trust – and how to empower women in transportation
  • Data is driving force behind TomTom's intelligent traffic management
    August 23, 2024
    The complexities of modern urban life have put unprecedented strain on transportation infrastructure. Traffic congestion, accidents, and inefficient resource allocation are persistent challenges. However, as Frans Keijzer, Bid Manager EMEA and APAC at TomTom Enterprise explains, a powerful tool has emerged to reshape the way we manage our roads: big data.