1 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

2 Need a lift? Want to carpool? Reyhaneh Farrokhikhiavi ECOMM 2011 Project background Potentials and options of cross linking internet based car pooling platforms (CPP) for commuters →isb.rwth-aachen.de

3 Need a lift? Want to carpool? Reyhaneh Farrokhikhiavi 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 / newsletter → over 2,300 respondents

4 Need a lift? Want to carpool? Reyhaneh Farrokhikhiavi 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.

5 Need a lift? Want to carpool? Reyhaneh Farrokhikhiavi ECOMM 2011 User survey Definitions Offer or need a lift Carpool

6 Need a lift? Want to carpool? Reyhaneh Farrokhikhiavi ECOMM 2011 Result of user survey Search 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

7 Need a lift? Want to carpool? Reyhaneh Farrokhikhiavi ECOMM 2011 Offer or need a LiftCarpool male young highly educated single / partnershipmarried / partnership one or two person householdmulti person household childlesschildren students or career entrantsworking full-time low incomelarge income Result of user survey Sociodemographic characteristics of the users  Two groups of people in different phases of life

8 Need a lift? Want to carpool? Reyhaneh Farrokhikhiavi ECOMM 2011 Result of user survey Work 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

9 Need a lift? Want to carpool? Reyhaneh Farrokhikhiavi ECOMM 2011 Result of user survey Distance between residence and place of work In Germany: av. 17 km Lift: av. 35 km Carpool: av. 66 km

10 Need a lift? Want to carpool? Reyhaneh Farrokhikhiavi ECOMM 2011 Result of user survey Mobility opportunities and mobility behavior Offer or need a LiftCarpool good public transport connection in general and to place of work poor public transport connection in general and to place of work low car availabilityhigh 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

11 Need a lift? Want to carpool? Reyhaneh Farrokhikhiavi ECOMM 2011 Result of user survey Reasons 1.Reduce costs 2.Protect the environment 3.Poor public transport connection

12 Need a lift? Want to carpool? Reyhaneh Farrokhikhiavi ECOMM 2011 Result of user survey Obstacles 1.Far off meeting points 2.Poor reliability 3.Way of driving Carpool: lack of flexibility

13 Need a lift? Want to carpool? Reyhaneh Farrokhikhiavi ECOMM 2011 Result of user survey Requirements 1.Fair cost sharing 2.Safety Carpool: 3.Guarantee for return 4.Meeting point in walking distance

14 Need a lift? Want to carpool? Reyhaneh Farrokhikhiavi ECOMM 2011 Result of user survey Requirements on platforms

15 Need a lift? Want to carpool? Reyhaneh Farrokhikhiavi ECOMM 2011 Result of user survey Attitudes and values

16 Need a lift? Want to carpool? Reyhaneh Farrokhikhiavi ECOMM 2011 Result of user survey Attitudes

17 Need a lift? Want to carpool? Reyhaneh Farrokhikhiavi ECOMM 2011 Result of user survey choice of means of transport

18 Need a lift? Want to carpool? Reyhaneh Farrokhikhiavi ECOMM 2011 User survey Conclusion 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?

19 Thank you for your attention! Contact: Reyhaneh Farrokhikhiavi RWTH Aachen University ISB - Institute of Urban and Transport Planning Fon: Fax: