Lyft and Uber wait times longest for African-Americans, study says

Friday, June 29, 2018
Lyft, Uber wait times not statistically different among races, study says
A UCLA study examined the differences in wait times among races for ride-sharing services like Lyft and Uber.

LOS ANGELES, California -- A new study found that African-Americans are more likely to face longer Uber and Lyft wait times than white, Asian and Hispanic riders.

African-Americans also have a greater chance of their rides being cancelled, according to the study conducted by researchers at UCLA.

Lyft drivers cancelled on black riders 7 percent of the time, compared with 5 percent of Asian and Hispanic riders and 3 percent of white riders.

Black riders saw their rides cancelled 6 percent of the time on Uber, which only provides drivers with a name and not a face once they accept a trip. The cancellation percentage dropped to 3 percent for Asian and Hispanic Uber riders, and 2 percent for white riders, according to the study.

In contrast, taxis cancelled rides for African-Americans 26 percent of the time, compared to 20 percent for Asian and Hispanic riders and 14 percent for white riders.

Lyft and Uber said they are working to reduce instances of discrimination.