Is Uber Transit's Enemy or Its Friend?

Uber presents something of a Rorschach test for economists. Some see the ride-hailing app (now valued at more than $50 billion) as a techno-salve for economically turbulent times, offering flexibility to drivers and an affordable service for riders. Others see an omen of something more grim, where the liability gap between corporations, workers, and customers has never been so wide.

There’s also a divide among transit experts. Do Uber and its ilk complement established modalities, or compete with them? Do they encourage folks who would otherwise drive all day to give up their cars and use a mix of transit services? Or do they lure people who might have otherwise walked or rode the train to hail an easy, cheap car instead?