Consumer Reports is publishing survey results that show consumer concerns with new mobility options including ridehailing and ridesharing services.

Chart shows the percentage of Americans who have used some common modes of transportation in the past two years. Source: Consumer Reports

The survey reveals safety is a major concern for consumers considering these transportation options, including overwhelming support (90%) for mandatory background checks for drivers of ridehailing services such as Uber and Lyft, as well as for mandatory vehicle inspections (82%) and actions for vehicle recalls (73%).

In addition, more than eight out of 10 Americans think there should be laws regulating where electric scooters can be used, such as on the sidewalk or in a bike lane. nearly three-quarters think there should be laws regarding helmet usage.

Other findings from the survey include:

• The most common modes of transportation Americans say they have used at all in the past two years include walking (87%), their own car or truck (86%), traditional rental cars (57%), carpooling (52%), and ridehailing services like Uber or Lyft (48%).

  When respondents were asked which modes of transportation they use and how often, 48% say they have used ridehailing services (like Uber & Lyft) it at least once, 5% say they use ridehailing at least once per week, and 1% say they use it daily. 23% say they use ridefailing regularly when on vacation.

• Among individuals who say they have used an electric scooter in the past two years, fewer are supportive of these types of regulations, especially among frequent riders. For example, only 46% of people who have used an electric scooter say they think there should be laws regarding helmet usage. Younger individuals are also generally less likely to be in favor of electric scooter regulations compared to older individuals.

The multi-mode survey was fielded by NORC at the University of Chicago using a nationally representative sample. The survey was conducted from 27 September – 14 October 2019.