Car sharing in Norwegian urban areas: Examining interest, intention and the decision to enrol. (July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hjorteset, Mari Andrine; Böcker, Lars
• Is Part Of: Transportation research. Volume 84(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-07
• Subjects: Car sharing -- Urban mobility -- Latent variables -- Personality -- Attitudes -- Structural equation modelling -- Norway; Transportation -- Research -- Periodicals; Transportation -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; 354.76
• DOI: 10.1016/j.trd.2020.102322
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1361-9209

Abstract

Highlights: Among car owners, we find a higher car sharing interest, but a lower membership rate. Environmental consciousness has a clear positive effect on all three dimensions. Thriftiness is negatively linked to the interest and intention to participate. The socio-demographic profiles of car sharers are typically that of early adopters. More prominent in denser areas, and no connection found on public transport access. Abstract: This article's objective is to investigate the effects of sociodemographic and residential built environments, directly and indirectly through personality traits, attitudes and car ownership, on willingness to use car sharing in the case of Norway. This is done by examining multiple dimensions of the adoption process: the stated general interest and intention to participate in car sharing among non-members, as well as the decision to enrol as a car sharing user by comparing members to non-members. In this study, we analyse web survey data from 2414 residents from urban areas in Norway, using three structural equation models. Our findings indicate that the adoption of car sharing is complexly related to car ownership, with a noteworthy discrepancy indicating greater car sharing interest, but lower car sharing membership rates among car owners. We also find that environmental concerns exert a clear positive effect on all three dimensions of the adoption process. Being careful with money is linked negatively to interest and intention to participate, while being sociable and agreeable exerts no effect. Car sharers' sociodemographic profiles are typically that of early adopters, but many of the effects, especially on interest, are mediated by car ownership, environmental consciousness and/or being careful with money, rather than directly on the sociodemographic profiles. Finally, we find car sharing to be more prominent in denser areas, but we did not discover a clear connection with access to public transport.