Uber experienced strong growth in 2015, driven in part by business travelers increasingly choosing ride-hailing over traditional rental cars, according to a report from Certify.
Overall, Uber usage surged 417 percent during the year, and by the fourth quarter it had surpassed car rentals in aggregate use. Among business travel expenses tracked by corporate budgets, car rentals accounted for 39 percent, Uber rides reached 41 percent, and taxis made up the remaining 20 percent.
The report highlights additional trends: Lyft also gained traction with business travelers, recording a 712 percent increase in use during 2015, though it still trailed Uber in total adoption. When business travelers rated their transportation experiences, Uber scored 4.46 out of 5, Lyft scored 4.43, car rentals scored 4.01, and traditional cabs scored 3.68.
Short-term rental platform Airbnb is another growing option for business travelers. Airbnb bookings by business travelers worldwide climbed 259 percent in 2015. In the U.S., the top cities for business use of Airbnb were San Francisco, Chicago, Seattle, Oakland and New York. Internationally, Vancouver, London, Toronto, Mexico City and Sydney led business Airbnb stays.
The trends in this report reflect a broader shift in how professionals travel for work: ride-hailing and home-sharing services are becoming commonly accepted alternatives to taxis and rental cars, often offering convenience and competitive pricing that appeal to corporate travelers.