The California State Assembly's Assembly Communications and Conveyance Committee convened on June 18, 2025, to discuss the significant impacts of Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) on the state's transportation system. The meeting featured presentations from Drew Cooper of the San Francisco County Transportation Authority and Dr. Elliot Martin from UC Berkeley's Transportation Sustainability Research Center.

Cooper highlighted the ongoing analysis of TNC operations in San Francisco, noting that since 2015, the Transportation Authority has monitored the effects of TNCs on congestion and transit ridership. His findings indicated that TNCs contributed to a 10% decline in transit ridership between 2010 and 2015, counteracting population growth and increased transit services. Additionally, TNCs were responsible for half of the congestion increase in the city, prompting the establishment of a traffic congestion mitigation tax in 2019, which has generated approximately $8 million annually for road safety and transit improvements.

The meeting also addressed the transparency of TNC data reporting. In 2020, the commission reversed its confidentiality stance on TNC annual reports, making them public to enhance understanding of TNC impacts. However, Cooper expressed concerns over the limited availability of these reports, particularly regarding the heavy redactions in Lyft's data and the lack of comprehensive reporting from other TNCs. He emphasized the need for timely and complete data disclosure to inform local planning and policy development.

Dr. Martin further elaborated on the broader implications of TNC operations, discussing their effects on greenhouse gas emissions, vehicle miles traveled, and overall mobility. He presented research indicating that TNCs have increased GHG emissions in major metropolitan areas like Los Angeles and San Francisco, while showing a net decrease in Washington D.C. Martin underscored the importance of combining various data sources to accurately assess TNC impacts and suggested that understanding TNC electrification pathways could help improve environmental outcomes.

The committee's discussions underscored the critical need for transparency and comprehensive data in managing the evolving landscape of transportation services in California. As TNCs and autonomous vehicle services continue to expand, the insights gained from this meeting will be vital for shaping effective regulations and ensuring public trust in these emerging mobility solutions.