The problem with subway systems is that they are great once they have enough reach and stops to reliably and frequently get you were you need to go without needing a car. However, a small subway system with infrequent service and only a few stops isn't all that useful. If we take the claims here at face value (not saying we should) then this is a solution that provides value immediately for people commuting by car, and if the network becomes widespread enough it becomes easier to rely on it as a pedestrian. Essentially it might be a great way to bootstrap a transition to public transport in car-centric systems.
Also note that if you get an increased amount of people commuting in these tunnels without their own cars, new public transportation built by the city becomes a lot more valuable as well, since there's already a lot of people getting around without cars.
That said it is funny how private companies seem to rediscover public transport. Looking forward to Uber Train.
Uber buying a major cities metro system and making it not shitty would be pretty great. NYC subway is basically what taxis used to be, dirty and hostile toward the user.
Since it seems VCs want to throw billions of dollars into a pit and set it on fire, I guess I'd prefer that pit were the NYC subway system rather than jitney cabs.
Also note that if you get an increased amount of people commuting in these tunnels without their own cars, new public transportation built by the city becomes a lot more valuable as well, since there's already a lot of people getting around without cars.
That said it is funny how private companies seem to rediscover public transport. Looking forward to Uber Train.