A new dashboard is now available to the public that shows key pieces of data on how well transportation network companies (TNCs), like Uber and Lyft, are meeting quarterly performance requirements when it comes to serving passengers with wheelchairs.
The dashboard was developed by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) and its sister agency, the San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA). The organizations were chosen to participate in the San Francisco Office of Civic Innovation’s Civic Bridge Program.
Through this program, SFMTA and SFCTA were matched with pro-bono partner ZS Associates to develop publicly available data dashboards to display key pieces of the data submitted by TNCs.
The dashboards, which are now hosted on SFMTA’s website, feature the following tabs:
- Total Trips Requested and Completed
- Trips Requested and Completed by Operator
- Average Number of WAVs (wheelchair accessible vehicles) Available Each Hour,
- Trips Requested – Completed and Cancelled
- Response Time
- TNC Expenses
- TNC Complaints
The Trips tabs show requested and completed WAV trips, as well as cancellations. The Response Time tab includes a breakdown of the average time between passenger request and driver arrival. The Expenses tab includes program expenditures by spending category (and note that Partnership Costs include most of the direct costs of providing WAV service—usually the amount paid to a contractor who is providing WAV trips for the TNC). The Complaints tab categorizes the complaints reported about the TNCs’ WAV service.
Each tab can be viewed by vendor (currently Lyft, Uber or Nomad), county, year and quarter.
Prior to the new dashboard, the data from TNCs was submitted to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in Advice Letters, which were sent to a small group of people in a difficult to read format.
Since 2018, TNCs have been required to share data to show how well they are meeting regulations developed by CPUC relating to accessibility for persons with disabilities, including wheelchair users.
TNCs that meet these requirements qualify for reimbursement for their expenses if they demonstrate they are improving access to WAVs on their platforms. If the company doesn’t qualify for the money, the collected fees are deposited into an “Access Fund” for other eligible providers to help provide on-demand WAV services in that area instead.
