How Do Americans View Uber, Lyft in Wake of Travel Ban Response?

Image: PHOTO: Uber App on smartphone. (photo via Flickr/freestocks.org)
Image: PHOTO: Uber App on smartphone. (photo via Flickr/freestocks.org)
Patrick Clarke
by Patrick Clarke
Last updated: 3:00 PM ET, Wed February 8, 2017

Despite receiving significant backlash on social media late last month following a controversial decision to keep offering rides during an airport protest at John F. Kennedy International Airport in response to President Donald Trump's temporary travel ban, Uber's favorability among Americans hasn't taken too big a hit.

According to polling from Morning Consult Brand Intelligence, 46 percent of adults surveyed between Jan. 28 and Feb. 6 had a favorable opinion of the ride-hailing service, compared to 51 percent between Jan. 21 and Jan. 27.

Trump signed his polarizing executive order Jan. 27 and the hashtag #DeleteUber began trending on Twitter and other social media platforms the next day amid nationwide protests.

Uber CEO Travis Kalanick was also criticized for participating in Trump's economic advisory council but has since stepped down in response to the outrage.

While Uber's rival Lyft saw its favorability rise by one percentage point from 32 percent to 33 percent after opposing the travel ban and pledging to donate $1 million to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) over the next four years, it still trails Uber overall.

[READMORE] READ MORE: REPORT: Americans Are Split Over President Donald Trump's Travel Ban [/READMORE]

Perhaps unsurprisingly given the overall reaction to Trump's order, the response to both companies' decisions to publicly oppose the ban was split.

Based on Morning Consult's survey, 31 percent of American adults have a more favorable view of Uber than they did before, while 32 percent now view Lyft more favorably. On the flip side, 30 percent have a less favorable view of Uber now, compared to 27 percent who now view Lyft less favorably.

Interestingly, younger people are more likely to support Uber and Lyft's opposition to the executive order, with 44 percent of Americans aged 18 to 29 now viewing Uber more favorably because of its decision to speak out and 47 percent of people in that age range having a more favorable view of Lyft for the same reason.

Last week, a federal judge reversed Trump's temporary ban on travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. and not long after a federal appeals court denied an appeal by the government to reinstate the ban.


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Patrick Clarke

Patrick Clarke

Senior Editor

A Maryland native and wanderer who has lived across the U.S. from North Carolina to SoCal, Patrick Clarke graduated from Towson University with a B.S. in journalism. He previously worked for Bleacher

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