Cars are getting expensive. In fact, the cost of vehicle ownership is at an all-time high, and we know that widespread car ownership impacts more than just our personal finances, it can also affect our health and the cities where we live – from the traffic we face on our commute to the air that we breathe.

There’s never been a better time to try a car-light lifestyle! That’s why we’re introducing the One Less Car trial, a new 5-week challenge where up to 175 selected participants across the U.S. and Canada will give up their personal car and instead use alternate forms of transportation, like walking, public transit, cycling, and rideshare. 

Here’s how our One Less Car Challenge will work: 

  • Join the challenge: Calling all car owners in Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington D.C., Miami, San Francisco, Toronto, and Vancouver: are you ready to ditch your car and join the trial? If interested in participating from July 22 to August 25, apply here.* 
  • Get $$$ from Uber: Based on the average monthly cost of vehicle ownership in the U.S., we’ll provide selected participants with $1,000 to use alternative transportation options to get around instead of relying on their private car. These options will include car-free offerings like public transit, Lime e-bikes and e-scooters bookable in the Uber app, plus car rentals, and rideshare. 
  • Share the findings: We’ve partnered with the Behavioural Insights Team, a research consultancy specializing in behavioral science, to measure the impacts. Participants will be asked to document their experience throughout the trial, taking note of what transportation alternatives they use and the impact embracing a car-light lifestyle makes on their everyday experiences.
  • See the insights from the Australia trial: In 2023, we asked 58 Australians to give up their car for 4 weeks, and we found that participants reported they were able to replace the majority of car trips with alternative transport methods.

And with nearly 233 million private vehicles on the road throughout the U.S – 80 million of which are driven less than 10 miles a day on average – we’re out to show that it’s possible to make the switch to a car-light lifestyle, saving both money and emissions, while contributing to more livable cities. 

Apply to join our One Less Car trial to give a car-light lifestyle a go. 

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*To be eligible to participate in the trial, a potential participant must (i) complete the survey linked form this page (ii) reside in Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington D.C., Miami, San Francisco, Toronto, or Vancouver; (iii) be 18 or older; (iv) have legal permission to drive; (v) have a vehicle which they use >3 times a week (vi) have a bank card (requirement to take rides on Uber); (vii) have a smartphone and be willing to install mobile apps for this study;  (viii) be comfortable communicating in English and (ix) be comfortable taking short videos of themselves to document their experience in the study and sending them to Uber. Only eligible prospective participants will be considered. Any false information provided in any answer may result in the rejection of an application or removal from the trial. 
Trial participants will be selected at Uber’s sole discretion after a review of survey responses. The submission of the survey in no way guarantees that a prospective participant will be selected to participate in the trial. Uber reserves the right to cancel, modify or alter this trial at any time. For those selected to participate in the trial, failure to meet the requirements of the trial may result in disqualification from the trial. Uber shall not owe any payments or compensation to those who fail to meet the trial requirements.