Key Findings from the Hailing While Black Survey of Chicago Voters, February 12, 2015

Hailing While Black Navigating the

discriminatory landscape of
transportation
Key findings from a survey of Chicagoans Presented by Cornell Belcher
and Dee Brown
February 12, 2015

Key Findings from the Hailing While Black Survey of Chicago Voters, February 12, 2015

Methodology
Findings from a city wide survey of Blacks, age 18 or older residing in Chicago.
The survey was conducted by phone using professional interviewers. The survey
reached a base sample of 605 Blacks and an oversample of 203 whites. The
survey, sponsored by Uber, was conducted by brilliant corners Research &
Strategies Inc. January 28 - February 8, 2015. The survey used a randomly
drawn sample of adults, which included a subset of registered voters provided
through a third party vendor. The data was weighted slightly by age to insure the
correct proportional representation within this specific universe. The margin of
error for this survey is +/- 4.0%.

Key Findings from the Hailing While Black Survey of Chicago Voters, February 12, 2015

Key Findings

The taxi industry has a discrimination problem. A large majority of Blacks in the windy city (66
percent) feel taxi cabs deliberately refuse to pickup Blacks. And just as startlingly, a plurality of
white Chicagoans agree. Much of this can be attributed to experiences with the industry; a 55
percent majority of Blacks in Chicago who have called for a cab at some point have experienced
a refusal by the service to send a cab to their community. A plurality (48 percent) of Blacks say
its likely that if they tried to hail a cab it would ignore them and continue driving by. More than
cost, Black aversion to the taxi service industries rest in a broad feeling of disrespect by the
industry toward them and their communities.

Broadly speaking, Chicagoans are generally content with the citys public transportation system.
However, they are far less satisfied with the citys taxi services. Only 42 percent of Blacks say
they are satisfied with the citys taxi service, compared to the vast majority (72 percent) of white
respondents who are satisfied. And additionally, a third of Blacks believe that taxi service in their
city is getting worse.

Notably, in most studies exploring racial disparities, there is a tendency for racial differences
among respondents inevitably producing conflicting views of how diverse groups are treated.
Surprisingly, this study produced that rare agreement across racial lines, with a majority of both
racial groups agreeing that minority and poor communities receive the most problematic taxi
service. Although not unexpectedly, the number of respondents who report personally
experiencing being ignored by taxi drivers when hailing taxis on the street is significantly higher
for Black respondents than for whites (48 percent to 23 percent, respectively).

Key Findings from the Hailing While Black Survey of Chicago Voters, February 12, 2015

Key Findings

Just a bare majority of Blacks believe they are likely to be picked up by a taxi on the street,
compared to nearly all white respondents (55 percent to 92 percent). Notably, just over one-inten Blacks would be considered frequent taxi users, compared to one-in-four white respondents.

A majority of both Black and white respondents are familiar with ridesharing services (61 percent
to 83 percent). Additionally, after gaining additional information about accountability measures
associated with ridesharing, an overwhelming majority would be more apt to use these services
if these accountability measures could be guaranteed (Blacks 72 percent; whites: 73 percent).

Key Findings from the Hailing While Black Survey of Chicago Voters, February 12, 2015

Blacks are frequent users of public transportation

service

8%
14%
35%
15%
9%
19%

11%
16%
37%
10%
7% 18%

Every day
More than once a week
Once a week
Once or twice a month
A few times a year

Every day
More than once a week
Once a week
Once or twice a month
A few times a year

Q: How often
do you or
members of
your
household use
public
transportation?

Whites

Blacks

Total Black

Total
White

Security
Focused

Discrimination

Frequent PT
discrimination

Segregated
locations

18-49

Frequent

62%

64%

63%

100%

100%

61%

69%

Infrequent

38%

36%

37%

0%

0%

39%

31%

Key Findings from the Hailing While Black Survey of Chicago Voters, February 12, 2015

However, far fewer Blacks use the citys taxi services

however why?

1%

6%

41%

Q: How often
do you or
members of
your
household use
taxi cabs?

Whites

Blacks

18% 3%
6%
14%

28%

9%
13%
28%

32%

Every day

More than once a week

Once a week

Once or twice a month

A few times a year

Never

Every day
More than once a week
Once a week
Once or twice a month
A few times a year

Total Black

Total
White

Security
Focused

Discrimination

Frequent PT
discrimination

Segregated
locations

18-49

Frequent

13%

25%

14%

12%

20%

11%

19%

Infrequent

87%

74%

86%

88%

80%

89%

81%

Key Findings from the Hailing While Black Survey of Chicago Voters, February 12, 2015

A majority of Blacks and nearly half of whites agree that taxi

drivers deliberately discriminate against Black passengers

Blacks

Whites

13%

7%

38%

42%

14%

6% 8%

24%

23%
24%

Strongly agree

Not strongly agree

Strongly agree

Not strongly disagree

Strongly agree

Not strongly disagree Strongly agree

(Dont know/ refused)

(Dont know/ refused)

Not strongly agree

Total
Black

Total
White

Security
Focused

Segregated
locations

18-49

Agree

66%

47%

68%

64%

60%

Disagree

22%

14%

20%

23%

30%

Q: Do you
agree or
disagree that
taxi cab drivers
often
deliberately
refuse to pick
up Black
passengers?
And is that
strongly
agree/disagree
or somewhat
agree/disagree
that taxi cab
drivers often
deliberately
refuse to pick
up Black
passengers?

Key Findings from the Hailing While Black Survey of Chicago Voters, February 12, 2015

Regardless of race, the majority of Chicagoans also agree

that only certain communities are subject to problematic
taxi service
Blacks

[Statement A] No system is perfect

and every neighborhood in Chicago
has their share of problems with the
public transportation system and
times when taxis service is less
available.

34%
66%

[Statement B] Every Chicago

neighborhood may have problems
with public transportation, but poor
and minority neighborhoods have
more problems than anywhere else
including taxis that refuse to serve
them.

Total Statement A

Total Statement B

Whites
59%

41%

Total
Black

Total
White

Security
Focused

Discrimination

Frequent PT
discrimination

Segregated
locations

18-49

Statement A

32%

38%

31%

29%

31%

29%

35%

Statement B

62%

55%

65%

68%

67%

65%

59%

Q: Which
statement comes
closer to your
view A: Every
neighborhood
has
transportation
problems or B:
Poor and minority
neighborhoods
have more
problems than
anywhere else?

Key Findings from the Hailing While Black Survey of Chicago Voters, February 12, 2015

A solid majority have some familiarity with ride sharing

services

Blacks

Q: Have you
ever heard or
read anything
about
ridesharing
services like
Uber, Lyft or
She-taxis?

Whites

17%

38%
62%

83%

Yes

No

Yes

(Dont know)

No

Total
Black

Total
White

Security
target

Discrimination
target

Frequent PT
discrimination
target

Proshifters

Segregated
target

18-49

Yes

61%

83%

64%

62%

63%

56%

63%

70%

No

38%

17%

36%

38%

37%

44%

36%

29%

Key Findings from the Hailing While Black Survey of Chicago Voters, February 12, 2015

They have adequate reasons for exploring other options, top

among them is the refusal of taxis to serve their communities
Blacks

Top Box Score

among Blacks
(8-10)

Whites

Taxis wont pick up passengers in poor

neighborhoods

7.2

52%

5.3

Taxi fares are too expensive

6.8

45%

5.4

Its hard to get a taxi if you are a Black man

6.7

41%

Its hard to find a cab in my neighborhood

6.7

48%

3.1

Its hard to get a taxi if you are a minority

6.3

41%

4.6

5.9

40%

1.3

5.8

31%

2.6

5.8

32%

3.9

5.6

29%

4.1

5.4

28%

4.9

5.0

22%

2.3

Its hard to find a taxi willing to go to my

neighborhood
Its hard to find a taxi service willing to come
when called
Taxi drivers can be a danger to women
If you are a minority it doesnt matter how you
are dressed, taxis wont stop for you.
Its hard to make extra money driving a taxi
because it costs too much to get a license
Taxi drivers are often rude to people like me

10

Q: Now Im
going to read
you a list of
issues some
people have
brought up
concerning the
citys taxis
service. For
each one,
please rank on
a scale of 0 to
10 how much
it impacts the
quality of
service in your
community. ?

Key Findings from the Hailing While Black Survey of Chicago Voters, February 12, 2015

Accountability measures used by ridesharing services hold

particular resonance for respondents
Blacks
8.1

Top Box Score

among Blacks
(8-10)
67%

Whites
8.3

7.8

63%

6.7

7.6

58%

6.8

7.6

58%

7.3

7.4

52%

6.3

7.4

54%

6.5

7.2

49%

6.4

7.1

53%

6.5

Provides opportunities to make extra money

6.9

46%

5.6

Riders can contact drivers in route without sharing any

personal information with the driver

6.9

45%

6.4

The cost can be shared by multiple passengers

6.7

47%

6.3

Share a map of your route with friends or family

6.6

44%

4.1

Request service by smartphone app

6.5

44%

6.4

No cash transactions at time of trip

6.5

41%

5.7

Drivers pass vigorous background checks

Riders do not have to stand outside to wait for a car,
they can track progress and estimated time of arrival
Uses GPS coordinate to match passenger with closest
driver
Once trip is accepted riders receive drivers name,
photo, license plate, car model for identification
Drivers unable to refuse passenger based on outward
appearances
After every trip passengers are encouraged to rate the
experience to maintain quality service
Any driver that routinely avoids fares based on location
are barred from the platform
Drivers unable to refuse passengers based on
destination

11

Q: Now I'm
going to read
you a list of
attributes
associated
with the new
ridesharing
services
operating in
Chicago. For
each one
please rate 0
to 10 scale
how important
this attribute is
to solving the
problems
people in your
community
experience
with existing
taxis services.

Key Findings from the Hailing While Black Survey of Chicago Voters, February 12, 2015

In fact 7-out-of-10 say they would be more likely to rideshare

if these accountability measures were guaranteed

Blacks
14%

Whites

6%

9%
8%

38%

10%

11%
37%
36%

31%

Much more likely

Somewhat more likely
Somewhat less likely
Much less likely
(Dont know/ refused)

Much more likely

Somewhat more likely
Somewhat less likely
Much less likely
(Dont know/ refused)

Total
Black

Total
White

Security
target

Discrimination
target

Frequent PT
discrimination
target

Proshifters

Segregated
target

18-49

More likely

70%

73%

100%

60%

72%

84%

72%

77%

Less likely

24%

16%

0%

31%

22%

14%

22%

17%

12

Q: Thinking
about the list
of attributes
we just
reviewed, if a
ride sharing
service could
guarantee
these
attributes
would you be
more likely or
less likely to
use this kind of
service?