Abstract

This chapter examines the characteristics and practices of ridesharing users in France. In May 2013, the authors surveyed members of BlaBlaCar, the largest online and app-based carpooling service in France, to analyze the sociodemographic characteristics and usage patterns of the respondents. The survey results identify correlations between socio-demographic characteristics and usage elements. Notably, users with a lower income level are more inclined to be passengers, while higher income users employ carpooling mainly as drivers. Students are shown to be more frequent users as well. These findings indicate some equity balancing effects, which may be unique to this shared mobility mode.

Abstract

This project uncovers the role of buses and their riders in shaping Los Angeles urban history in two crucial moments. First, while the private automobile inexorably altered American mobility, the bus quietly became the dominant form of public transit, replacing streetcars by the mid-1950s. I argue the jitney (the precursor to the bus, a short-lived owner/operator business phenomenon throughout the U.S. in the 1910s) directed the shift into automobile-based public transportation by giving riders a choice in transit, ultimately resulting in the end of interurban rail service. Secondly, the movement into public ownership of mass bus transit in the 1950s was inspired in part by riders, resulting in the municipally-directed systems we now find common. This decision to create publicly-owned public transportation occurred in the post-WWII context of Cold War fears of government oppression and socialism, marking transportation as something of an outlier in the cultural construction of social and municipal responsibility. Still, the limitations placed upon transit by Angelinos in the form of funding and planning failures ultimately reinforces the skepticism of government as a provider of services.The dissertation intends to prove that riders directed the movement into road-based public transportation in a quest for more efficient transportation that met their needs more effectively than urban rail. It further analyzes the moral and ethical implications of why 1950s Los Angeles--amid a historical moment actively promoting private mobility in the form of massive federal and state highway programs--chose to assume public control of an erstwhile private industry. Public ownership changed the sort of access into transportation planning and operation, allowing ethical and moral issues (such as the social effect of fare increases, union activity, and unprofitable route service into low income areas) to challenge the dollars-and-cents approach to transportation planning previously, and unsuccessfully, embraced by private ownership. Although the boundaries placed upon public transit by citizens of Los Angeles ultimately emphasize ideas of limited government (in keeping with other Cold War-period studies of American culture), the assumption of public transportation under public ownership in the 1950s was an important change in the cultural interpretation of transit as a social responsibility, rather than a private entrepreneurial opportunity.In each step of this dissertation, riders are the primary catalyst, directing the changes in transit through market forces, through choice in the technology they preferred, or through funding of transit projects. Despite all the urban planning and top-down transit schemes--private or public--riders retained the ability to reshape transit in L.A. in the twentieth century through each moment of the city's transportation history.

Abstract

Demand Responsive Transportation (DRT) is currently growing in our cities as shared ride-hailing services operated by private companies, providing a hybrid service between the bus and the taxi. Like DRT, these new on-demand services could be used to feed and complement the public transport, and additionally, their flexibility might bring other market opportunities, beneficial to cities and metropolitan areas. However, the true potential of them, as well as the recognition of the service requirements depending on the type of user and use case, remains unstudied. Hence, the aim of this research is to identify user requirements and market opportunities, from the case study conducted with the participation of 1211 users of the MOIA service test in Hanover, to contribute to the successful design of this new generation of DRT. Results indicate a high interest in using MOIA for leisure trips, identify the highest intention of use of the service within suburban areas, and recognise a different behaviour, both in the intention of use and for user requirements, depending on the age of the users and the usage frequency. Peer Reviewed

Abstract

Due to the rapid development of the ridesharing industry, there is very limited data available for researchers and practitioners to draw a comprehensive conclusion regarding resultant changes in vehicle miles traveled (VMT). Current research on ridesharing is inconclusive and conflicting. This report summarizes our findings on the impacts of ridesharing on VMT, focusing on optimization and pairing modeling, the relationship between ridesharing and public transit, induced trips, and car ownership.

Abstract

Based on original research collected through semi-structured research interviews and five focus groups throughout Denmark, this study explores Danish perceptions about ad hoc, acquaintance-based, and organization-based ridesharing (“carpooling”). Using a grounded, qualitative factor analysis approach, it investigates the elements that influence the adoption (and non-adoption) of ridesharing and identifies market segments and business models that may enable planners to overcome existing barriers. The article finds that Danish drivers and commuters appear to be split on the topic. Negative perceptions reported by respondents include lack of availability and difficulty finding rides, viewing ridesharing as unsafe or unsecure, and expectations of social awkwardness, among others. Positive perceptions reported include cost savings compared to public and private transport, greater flexibility of travel times, and the ability to socialize with vehicle occupants. These contrasting views lead us to conclude that existing theories and models of ridesharing behavior may need to be fundamentally rethought, both in Denmark and possibly elsewhere. Our results also suggest that ridesharing efforts framed around climate change or environmental sustainability will not likely be successful in Denmark.

Abstract

To improve the sustainability and efficiency of transport systems, communities and government agencies throughout the United States (US) are looking for ways to reduce vehicle ownership and single-occupant trips by encouraging people to shift from driving to using more sustainable transport modes (such as ridesharing). Ridesharing is a cost-effective, sustainable and effective alternative transportation mode that is beneficial to the environment, the economy and society. Despite the potential effect of vehicle ownership on the adoption of ridesharing services, individuals&rsquo ridesharing behaviors and the interdependencies between vehicle ownership and ridesharing usage are not well understood. This study aims to fill the gap by examining the associations between household vehicle ownership and the frequency and probability of ridesharing usage, and to estimate the effects of household vehicle ownership on individuals&rsquo ridesharing usage in the US. We conducted zero-inflated negative binomial regression models using data from the 2017 National Household Travel Survey. The results show that, in general, one-vehicle reduction in households was significantly associated with a 7.9% increase in the frequency of ridesharing usage and a 23.0% increase in the probability of ridesharing usage. The effects of household vehicle ownership on the frequency of ridesharing usage are greater for those who live in areas with a higher population density than those living in areas with a lower population density. Young people, men, those who are unable to drive, individuals with high household income levels, and those who live in areas with rail service or a higher population density, tend to use ridesharing more frequently and are more likely to use it. These findings can be used as guides for planners or practitioners to better understand individuals&rsquo ridesharing behaviors, and to identify policies and interventions to increase the potential of ridesharing usage, and to decrease household vehicle ownership, depending on different contextual features and demographic variables. Comprehensive strategies that limit vehicle ownership and address the increasing demand for ridesharing have the potential to improve the sustainability of transportation systems. Document type: Article