Need a lift? Want to carpool? Characteristics of different target groups of ride sharing

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Need a lift? Want to carpool? Characteristics of different target groups of ride sharing

Reyhaneh Farrokhikhiavi, M.A.ISB, RWTH Aachen University

European Conference on Mobility Management 2011

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Need a lift?Want to carpool?

ReyhanehFarrokhikhiavi

ECOMM 2011

Project backgroundPotentials and options of cross linking internet based car pooling platforms (CPP) for commuters

→ isb.rwth-aachen.de

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Need a lift?Want to carpool?

ReyhanehFarrokhikhiavi

ECOMM 2011

User survey

Purposes

• Characteristics of target groups for CPP• Users’ requirements for ride sharing • Users’ requirements for car pooling platforms

Survey design

• Online survey• Users addressed by email / newsletter

→ over 2,300 respondents

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Need a lift?Want to carpool?

ReyhanehFarrokhikhiavi

ECOMM 2011

User survey

Topics

• Questions on the used car pooling platform

• Reasons, requirements and obstacles concerning ride sharing

• Attitudes and values

• Mobility behavior and personal mobility opportunities

• Type and scope of employment and

• Sociodemographic characteristics.

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Need a lift?Want to carpool?

ReyhanehFarrokhikhiavi

ECOMM 2011

User surveyDefinitions

Offer or need a lift

Carpool

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Need a lift?Want to carpool?

ReyhanehFarrokhikhiavi

ECOMM 2011

Result of user surveySearch on internet based car pooling platforms

• 53% of the users search outside “their” carpooling platform

• 6% both in other ways and on other platforms

• 23% in other ways

• 19% on other platforms

→ isb.rwth-aachen.de

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Need a lift?Want to carpool?

ReyhanehFarrokhikhiavi

ECOMM 2011

Offer or need a Lift Carpool

male

young

highly educated

single / partnership married / partnership

one or two person household multi person household

childless children

students or career entrants working full-time

low income large income

Result of user surveySociodemographic characteristics of the users

Two groups of people in different phases of life

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Need a lift?Want to carpool?

ReyhanehFarrokhikhiavi

ECOMM 2011

Result of user surveyWork time models

Fixed working hours• Optimal partners for carpool among colleagues • Depend less on extern services

Variable working hours• Better coordination and adjustment to possible

car pooling partners Flextime no obstacle per se

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Need a lift?Want to carpool?

ReyhanehFarrokhikhiavi

ECOMM 2011

Result of user surveyDistance between residence and place of work

In Germany: av. 17 kmLift: av. 35 kmCarpool: av. 66 km

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Need a lift?Want to carpool?

ReyhanehFarrokhikhiavi

ECOMM 2011

Result of user surveyMobility opportunities and mobility behavior

Offer or need a Lift Carpool

• good public transport connection in general and to place of work

• poor public transport connection in general and to place of work

• low car availability • high car availability

• above-average cycle and public transport use

• above-average car use

Long ways to work combined with lacking public transport connection increase chance that people want to carpool

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Need a lift?Want to carpool?

ReyhanehFarrokhikhiavi

ECOMM 2011

Result of user surveyReasons

1. Reduce costs2. Protect the environment

3. Poor public transport connection

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Need a lift?Want to carpool?

ReyhanehFarrokhikhiavi

ECOMM 2011

Result of user surveyObstacles

1. Far off meeting points2. Poor reliability3. Way of driving

Carpool: lack of flexibility

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Need a lift?Want to carpool?

ReyhanehFarrokhikhiavi

ECOMM 2011

Result of user surveyRequirements

1. Fair cost sharing2. SafetyCarpool: 3. Guarantee for return 4. Meeting point in walking distance

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Need a lift?Want to carpool?

ReyhanehFarrokhikhiavi

ECOMM 2011

Result of user surveyRequirements on platforms

15

Need a lift?Want to carpool?

ReyhanehFarrokhikhiavi

ECOMM 2011

Result of user surveyAttitudes and values

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Need a lift?Want to carpool?

ReyhanehFarrokhikhiavi

ECOMM 2011

Result of user surveyAttitudes

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Need a lift?Want to carpool?

ReyhanehFarrokhikhiavi

ECOMM 2011

Result of user surveychoice of means of transport

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Need a lift?Want to carpool?

ReyhanehFarrokhikhiavi

ECOMM 2011

User surveyConclusion

• Long ways to work + lacking public transport connection carpool

• Leading motive: reducing costs

• Main requirement: fair cost sharing

• Requirement of carpoolers: guarantee for return

• Two groups of user – lift and carpool – in different phases of life

• Attitudes and values: Lift and carpool very similar

people searching/offering a lift today tomorrows carpoolers?

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Thank you for your attention!

Contact:Reyhaneh FarrokhikhiaviRWTH Aachen UniversityISB - Institute of Urban and Transport PlanningFon: 0049-241-80 25 206  Fax: 0049-241-80 22 247e-mail: farrokhikhiavi@isb.rwth-aachen.de