A future in which personal vehicles are no longer popular and ridesharing services rule the road is becoming increasingly plausible, a new study indicates.
A recent study from Accenture, which surveyed more than 1,000 consumers in the U.S., showed that almost two out of every three people (63 per cent) who use ridesharing services would be willing to give up their car entirely and commit to using ridesharing services exclusively.
While these statistics are specific to the American market, the popularity of those services in Canada has also made great strides in recent years. Statista says that as of 2018, Uber had already surpassed the use of taxis in all age groups below the age of 45; not including any other ridesharing services.
That willingness to switch seems to be a result of satisfaction with the services, as 92 per cent expressed a strong level of satisfaction and 93 per cent said they expect their usage to either maintain level or increase. Despite this, there exists a surprising lack of brand loyalty, as 52 per cent said they have jumped between ridesharing apps.
“Satisfaction with ride-hailing is high, due in large part to reliable pickup and drop-off times, high satisfaction with drivers, and ease of booking and payments,” said Robin Murdoch, Accenture’s leader of global software and platform practices. “To keep customers loyal, ride-hailing companies need to have better control over riders’ personal data and offer more personalized and engaging user experiences.”
As Murdoch noted, customers’ need for secure data is one of the biggest factors, with 69 per cent listing it as an important factor.
Uber is currently available in Canada in Calgary, Edmonton, Gatineau, Halifax, Hamilton, Kingston, Kitchener-Waterloo, Lethbridge, London, Montreal, Niagara Region, Ottawa, Quebec City, Red Deer, Saskatoon, Toronto, Windsor, and Winnipeg.
Its biggest competitor, Lyft, is currently available in Ajax, Brampton, Hamilton, Mississauga, Newmarket, Oshawa, Ottawa, Richmond Hill, and Toronto.