Full Title: Electrifying the Ride-Sourcing Sector in California
Author(s): Simi Rose George and Marzia Zafar
Publisher(s): California Public Utilities Commission Policy & Planning Division
Publication Date: April 1, 2018
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Description (excerpt):
The emergence of on-demand transportation services offered through digital platforms has transformed
the urban mobility landscape, raising complex questions about the implications for the future of
transportation.
In 2013, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) created rules and regulations applicable to
companies offering these services – referred to as transportation network companies (TNCs) – in order
to ensure public safety and customer protection. The rapid growth of the TNC sector raises new
questions around its environmental impacts. This paper offers qualitative and quantitative data and
analysis to allow the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to address the following questions:
Is there a need for the CPUC to initiate regulatory changes by exercising its jurisdiction over TNCs in order to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through increased use of electric vehicles (EVs) in the TNC sector? If so, what types of regulatory tools might the CPUC consider?
We use the definition of TNC set out in the California Public Utilities Code, i.e., a company that
provides prearranged transportation services for compensation using an online-enabled application or
platform to connect passengers with drivers using a personal vehicle.