JUE insight: Do ride-sharing services cause urban air pollution?

Yi Liu, Yao Li and Jindong Pang

Journal of Urban Economics, 2025, vol. 149, issue C

Abstract: This paper investigates the impact of ride-sharing services on urban air pollution across 284 cities in China. While the theoretical implications of ride-sharing services on air quality remain ambiguous, empirical analysis of a daily panel dataset reveals that the introduction of ride-sharing services in a city significantly reduces urban air pollution levels. On average, cities experience at least a three percent decrease in air pollution following the launch of these services. Mechanism analysis indicates that ride-sharing services contribute to reduced peak-hour traffic congestion, a decline in new car registrations, and an increase in public transit ridership. These findings quantify the environmental benefits associated with ride-sharing services and provide valuable insights for policymakers seeking to regulate the ride-sharing industry and enhance urban air quality.

Keywords: Ride-sharing; Air pollution; Transit ridership; Vehicle ownership; Traffic congestion (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q53 R40 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:juecon:v:149:y:2025:i:c:s0094119025000646

DOI: 10.1016/j.jue.2025.103799

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