The ride-hailing giants accounted for one-to-three per cent of vehicle miles travelled (VMT) in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C. in September 2018. Meanwhile, the World Economic Forum has released a study finding that those apps are also making traffic in developing nations worse. (The Logic)

Talking point: Uber and Lyft have previously challenged studies from other groups that claimed they were worsening traffic congestion. This study, however, not only acknowledges they’re having an impact, but finds higher congestion levels in some cities. A comparison with a study commissioned by the San Francisco County Transportation Authority shows that numbers in San Francisco have nearly doubled in one year. Both firms emphasized other parts of the study’s results, not just their own contribution to congestion. Chris Pangilinan, Uber’s head of global policy for public transportation, acknowledged that the platforms are “contributing to an increase in congestion,” but that the numbers are “dwarfed” by private and commercial traffic. Peter Day, head of policy and analysis at Lyft, said the information would aid in the company to “help solve challenges cities face.” – Amanda