Research

Spatial Heterogeneity in the Sharing Economy: Uber’s Impact on Hotel Price

My job market paper examines how Uber’s entry reshapes the spatial distribution of hotel performance. Using a staggered difference-in-differences design with zip code–level data from six U.S. cities, I show that Uber raises hotel prices—driven not by distance to the city centre, but by improvements in functional accessibility. The largest gains occur in neighbourhoods with moderate but incomplete transit coverage, where ride-hailing most effectively reduces last-mile frictions. These findings reveal a previously overlooked cross-sector mechanism through which mobility platforms reallocate urban economic activity.

Recommended citation: Chen, Jingwen (2025). Spatial Heterogeneity in the Sharing Economy: Uber’s Impact on Hotel Price. Job Market Paper.

Ride-Sharing, Safer or More Dangerous for Women?

One of my ongoing projects studies how Uber’s introduction affected crime against women in London. Using the July 2013 launch of UberX as a natural experiment and drawing on monthly MSOA-level crime data, I find that Uber’s entry led to a meaningful reduction in sexual offences, particularly in the months immediately following its arrival. Additional evidence from major tube line disruptions suggests that ride-sharing acts as a safety-enhancing substitute when public transit is limited, highlighting the potential role of platform-based mobility in improving urban safety.

Transport Accessibility and Educational Inequality: Evidence from the Elizabeth Line and Special Educational Needs Pupils

This project examines how major transport improvements affect educational inequality, with a particular focus on pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). This work exploit the opening of the Elizabeth Line in 2022 as a large accessibility shock for schools located near new stations. Using school-level data on absence, attainment, and pupil composition, the project will study whether improved transport connections reduce attendance barriers and narrow disadvantage gaps—especially in schools serving high-SEND and high-FSM populations. This research contributes to understanding how transport infrastructure can improve inclusion and reduce spatial inequality in education.