Maybe advocates of limiting the number of ride-hailing vehicles are right that city streets are more congested. But even if true, much better options are available than a cap.
In the wake of New York City’s similar action this month, Chicago is considering capping the number of ridehailing cars on the road. It should resist the temptation. A fundamental regulatory failure—not issuing enough taxi licenses—created the business opportunity for Uber and Lyft. Indeed, these app-supported services have brought great benefits to the public, including lower prices and greater availability. Maybe cap advocates are right that there is some more congestion (although that seems unlikely), but even if true, much better options are available than a cap. Indeed, from all appearances, “congestion” seems in part a cover for an attempt to “help” taxi drivers, which will come at the expense of the public.