Paper Details

TRB 91st Annual Meeting (January 22-26, 2012)

Event Number:	711
Event Title:	Innovations in Activity and Travel Behavior
Event Date:	Jan 25 2012 8:30AM- 10:15AM
Event Location:	Hilton, International Center
Event Description:
Event Agenda:

Synopsis of Users’ Behavior of a Carsharing Program: Case Study in Toronto, Canada (12-0964)

This paper presents an investigation of the behaviour of carsharing members through the analysis of administrative datasets of a dominant carsharing program in Toronto. The key objective of the investigation is to enhance our understanding on carsharing behaviour in the City of Toronto. Key points of interest are the attitude of members towards the environment, which is reflected through the decision to opt for carbon offsetting; the attitude of members towards safety, which is reflected through the decision to enrol for a collision deductible; membership duration, monthly frequency of usage, total Vehicle-Kilometres traveled (VKT) and Vehicle-Hour traveled (VHR) per month as well as vehicle type choice. This paper uses both descriptive and econometric approaches for the investigation. Results suggest that carsharing is most often used for off-peak period travel, when transit service is poor. Moreover, the majority of trips are short-distance trips made during off-peak periods or weekends when traffic congestion is lower. Both the descriptive and econometric investigations reveal that carsharing members are in general environmentally conscious people as the majority of the member opted for the option to offset their carbon emissions. However, having the carbon offsetting option also encouraged higher VKT, but lower VHR. Moreover, the cost of usage does have a strong influence in carsharing activities. The econometric analysis revealed that higher monthly expenditures and less perceived savings lead to shorter membership durations. The analysis also shows that a greater number of carsharing lots would increase membership and activities to a greater degree than simply increasing the number of vehicles in the vehicle fleet. Results of the investigation reveal that carsharing is providing a segment of the population with enhanced accessibility and mobility and thus playing an important role in providing a seamless, integrated transportation service in the City of Toronto.

Authors
     Costain, Cindy , University of Toronto, Canada
     Ardron, Carolyn , University of Toronto, Canada
     Nurul Habib, Khandker M., University of Toronto, Canada