Traveller preferences for free-floating carsharing vehicle allocation mechanisms
File(s)TRC_2018_1167_Revision 2_V0 (4).pdf (751.43 KB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Wu, C
Le Vine, S
Sivakumar, A
Polak, J
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Free-floating carsharing (FFCS) fleets are inherently volatile spatio-temporally, which presents both a logistical challenge for operators and a service reliability issue for customers. In this study we present a stated-choice survey to investigate the attractiveness to customers of two mechanisms for managing fleet volatility: Virtual Queuing (VQ) and Guaranteed Advance Reservation (GAR). We investigate socio-demographic features and “Big Five” personality traits that are associated ceteris paribus with choosing to use the existing FFCS service model, willingness-to-pay (WTP) for VQ and GAR, and risky-choice behaviour under the uncertainty of FFCS systems. Data (n = 289; 232 employed in analysis) are sourced from existing users of a FFCS service in London, UK. Within the survey context, we found that customers are on average not willing to pay for VQ (i.e. negative WTP), however have £0.54 per journey WTP for GAR, with low-frequency FFCS users and users scoring highly on the Big Five “Conscientiousness” dimension having larger WTP for GAR. When analysing the two dimensions of uncertainty, we found that respondents exhibit risk-seeking behaviour towards price and weaker and insignificant risk-aversion towards walking time. This pattern holds across the three standard model types of nonlinear risky-choice behaviour that we investigated. The results are intended to be useful both to policymakers and carsharing operators who are likely, as the industry matures, to seek mechanisms to differentiate their service offers to better serve individual market segments with distinctive characteristics.
Date Issued
2019-05-01
Date Acceptance
2019-02-24
Citation
Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, 2019, 102, pp.1-19
ISSN
0968-090X
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
1
End Page
19
Journal / Book Title
Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies
Volume
102
Copyright Statement
© 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This manuscript is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Subjects
09 Engineering
08 Information And Computing Sciences
15 Commerce, Management, Tourism And Services
Logistics & Transportation
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2019-03-07