Are we there yet? Analyzing the role of access distance in carsharing in small urban areas

Abstract

Carsharing is a valuable concept of the sharing economy to address today's mobility challenges such as traffic congestion, noise pollution, and CO₂ emissions. Therefore, carsharing is increasingly expanded beyond metropolitan areas. However, lower population densities, higher vehicle ownership, and accessibility concerns lead to lower demand, resulting in an increased need for optimization and municipal support. This study investigates the role of access distance in carsharing user behavior in less densely populated areas as a basis for municipal planning and policy. To this end, it draws on descriptive analysis and predictive modeling of the real-world data of a municipal carsharing program. The results indicate that users' access distance is highly relevant for predictions of travel behavior (i.e., usage duration) and strategic decision-making (e.g., station locations and service areas). More trips than in metropolitan areas are made by users with long access distances (i.e., 3 km or more) to their nearest station, while trips with longer access distances are also made by a higher proportion of public transport subscribers, more often made with special types of vehicles (i.e., vans and nine-seaters), and result in longer average trip distances.