Comparing Car-Sharing Schemes in Switzerland: User Groups and Usage Patterns

Free-floating car-sharing schemes operate without fixed car-sharing stations, ahead reservationsor return trip requirements. Providing fast and convenient motorization, they attract both publictransport users and (former) car-owners. Therefore, the environmental impact of these novelsystems is hard to estimate. This research uses a di erence in di erence approach to estimatethe impact of free-floating car-sharing on its members? travel behaviour. Data is collected using members surveys combined with a smartphone-based GPS-tracking solution. The results canbe directly compared with both a station-based round-trip car-sharing service operating in the same cityand a random control group. The findings suggest, that free-floating car-sharing has a similarsocio-demographic customer potential as station-based car-sharing. However, free-floating carsharinghas more active members and is employed for a broader variety of uses. Moreover, theresults suggest, that it reduces car-ownership and usage on a level comparable to station-based round-tripcar-sharing.

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