More people in Queens neighborhoods are using Uber for their transportation needs than ever before, and ridership in certain areas has more than doubled over the past year.
According to statistics from the new microsite uberconnectsnyc.com, which launched last week, several Queens neighborhoods have seen a spike in Uber ridership.
The four Queens neighborhoods that have seen the most growth in Uber users are Bayside, Elmhurst, Maspeth and Jamaica. The micro site also said that the majority of Uber trips are taken in the outer boroughs, especially in areas “long ignored by yellow taxis and where access to public transit is limited.”
“From Jackson Heights to Jamaica, Uber helps us move around in our communities, and in every corner of the five boroughs. That is why the majority of Uber rides are now outside of Manhattan, in areas like Queens. And, in the past year, trips here have nearly doubled,” said Danielle Filson, Uber spokesperson.
The site allows the users to hover over an interactive map and see statistics for the four outer boroughs: Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Staten Island. Once users click on a borough, there are neighborhoods that the site highlights.
In the past year, trips in Bayside have nearly doubled and half of the trips use uberPOOL, which is a service that matches people with riders going in the same direction, usually for cheaper than a solo ride. Uber trips have more than doubled in the three other neighborhoods highlighted by the website. More than half of the trips in Elmhurst and Maspeth use uberPOOL, while almost two-thirds of the trips in Jamaica use the service.
Data from the site shows that the most popular destinations for Uber trips (excluding the airports) include Sutphin Blvd./Archer Avenue subway station and the Jamaica LIRR station; Queens Center mall; Roosevelt Ave.-Jackson Heights subway station; Queensborough Community College; and the Woodside LIRR station.
Many of these areas lack adequate public transportation for people who live in these communities, and yellow taxis do not service these areas.
Reverend Al Sharpton, president and founder of the National Action Network, emphasized the importance of services like Uber to neighborhoods and communities that lack access to yellow cabs and public transportation.
“Ridehailing services are a critical part of our transportation system, especially in communities outside of Manhattan where taxis don’t go. Since apps have launched in New York City, all New Yorkers can get an affordable ride – no matter where you live or what you look like,” Sharpton said.
