Recent Pan-Asian studies show that traffic jams, parking problems and missed important events have led to people rethinking car ownership
Uber highlights the worsening traffic situation in Asia and the benefits of ridesharing in its latest campaign video titled ‘Boxes’
Traffic jams in Manila are getting worse every year. On average, car owners spend 66 minutes stuck in gridlock and another 24 minutes looking for a parking slot. Across Asia, people are stuck in traffic jams for an average of 52 minutes every day, almost equal to the amount of time it takes to finish an episode of Stranger Things.
These insights around traffic-related problems have been uncovered in the latest survey commissioned by Uber among 9,000 people across nine of Asia’s biggest cities.
In Manila, the survey found that 4 out of 5 car owners have missed or have been very late to important events. Doctor’s appointments topped the list of most commonly missed events, followed by job interviews and weddings.
”If the situation in Asia’s cities continues like this, they risk coming to a complete standstill in only a few years. Ridesharing can be an important complement to public transport and private cars when reducing congestions as well as freeing up city space today used for parking spots. By putting more people into fewer cars, we can unlock our cities and their full potential. But it requires that we all work together”, said Brooks Entwistle, Chief Business Officer, Asia Pacific at Uber.
Uber also commissioned the Boston Consulting Group to assess the potential benefits that ride sharing may bring to Asian cities.
It estimated that between 40 to 70 percent of private vehicles on the road today could be removed if ridesharing becomes a viable substitute for private vehicle ownership. In Manila, this means approximately 4 million cars can be taken off the road.
Uber is highlighting the absurdity of the traffic situation in its latest video, entitled “Boxes.”
Using cardboard boxes to represent cars, the film humorously shows the reality of modern-day traffic jams and ends with images of a city being overrun by boxes. Shot on the streets of Bangkok with around 200 extras, the film’s soundtrack is ”Bare Necessities” from the 1967 Disney film ”The Jungle Book”.
See more information on the study at www.unlockingcities.com.
