Commute Program Cut: Metrics for Choosing Between a Company Bus Route and Rideshare

Meta is considering cutting one of two commute services at its Menlo Park office: a bus route or an on-demand rideshare program that works like Uber. You need to recommend which one to eliminate. What metrics would you use to make the call, and what trade-offs come with each option? ```hint Follow the riders Cutting a service does not make its riders disappear. Work out where each group of riders would go and what that costs, not only what each service costs today. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Why is one service being cut: to save money, to simplify the program, or because one looks underused? Is there a savings target? - Where does each service go: does the bus route link a particular neighborhood or transit station to campus, and does the rideshare cover full home-to-office commutes or only shorter trips such as station connections and late-night rides? - Can riders of the eliminated service move to the remaining one, and would its budget grow to absorb them? - Must the decision respect commitments such as sustainability goals or local traffic limits for the campus? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - A decision goal and the constraints it must respect, settled before choosing metrics - Usage, cost and substitution metrics compared on a like-for-like basis for both services - Net savings after accounting for where displaced riders go - Impact on the employees who depend on each service, including those with no alternative - Explicit trade-offs and a decision rule, with partial options beyond a full cut where relevant ### Follow-up Questions - The bus is cheaper per ride, but the rideshare is the only option for employees who work late shifts. How does that change your recommendation? - How would you estimate where displaced riders will go before anything is cut? - If in-office headcount were expected to rise sharply next year, would your choice change?