With the ease and accessibility of app-based transportation options, right at our fingertips, you may be one of the many people who've considered ride-hailing exclusively versus vehicle ownership.

And as cheap and convenient as those Uber and Lyft rides can be it's logical for the thought to have crossed your mind. The cost of parking, tolls, vehicle maintenance, gas, the cost of your car itself, insurance... heck that all adds up - right?

Well our friends at The Auto Club of Southern California, aka AAA, have crunched the numbers thoroughly and the final verdict is that owning a car is going to be part of living in the SoCal region for the foreseeable future.  Get the complete details in this iDriveSoCal Podcast.

***Transcript***

Recording date – September 25, 2018, in Los Angeles, CA

Vehicle Ownership vs. Ride-Hailing

Doug Shupe: Do I want to go with a new vehicle? Do I want to consider, maybe solely relying on another mode of transportation like ride-hailing services? So, that's really the purpose of what this study was.

We looked at cities like New York, Austin, Texas, also, here in Southern California, we looked at San Diego. All of them was more than double what it would be if you actually owned and operated your own vehicle.

Tom Smith: Alright. Welcome to iDriveSoCal, the podcast all about mobility from the automotive capital of the United States, Southern California. Tom Smith here, and I am joined today, we're actually at the historic Motor Club of Southern California, aka AAA building, and I'm joined by Doug Shupe, who is the, if I'm going to do your title by memory, Senior Public Affairs Specialist.

Doug Shupe: That is right. You got it.

"...we live in car culture, Southern California, and we love our cars here in Southern California..."

Tom Smith: Nice. So, and it is Motor Club of Southern California, right?

Doug Shupe: The Auto Club of Southern California.

Tom Smith: Auto Club.

Doug Shupe: We're here at our historic Los Angeles headquarters, at Adams and Figueroa. Been here since the early 1920s.

Tom Smith: Yeah, and we did a number of podcasts together. What was it? A couple of months back? I came to this very same location, and it was under remodel construction then, which is pretty much wrapping up now. I didn't realize the history of the building. It's always been...

The Auto Club of Southern California

Doug Shupe: The Auto Club of Southern California. For folks who visit the branch office here at the LA headquarters at Adams and Figueroa, you can see that the history in this building, and the beautiful Saltillo tile, and the fountain we have in the large rotunda.

You drive... you park in this historic courtyard, and it was under construction for a while, but now it's back up and running. So folks can check that out before they head out for their holiday travels soon, and check out the new digs as we call them.

Tom Smith: For those of you that are like me, that enjoy history, appreciate history, part of the new remodel is pictures all up and down the hallways of, basically, the history of the Auto Club. Obviously, the history of the Auto Club involves the history of the auto, so it's a pretty neat additive.

"...with all the technology these days, it's kind of like, well, hey do I really need a car?"

So, come check it out when you get a chance. Most everybody's a member of the Auto Club anyway, so you're probably a member if you're listening to the iDriveSoCal podcast.

Doug Shupe: The Los Angeles branch office is a great place to come and get your maps and get your trip planning and travel planning because you do get to see some of that history right here just close to downtown LA.