What drives people to carpool? Explaining carpooling intention from the perspectives of carpooling passengers and drivers

Abstract

The negative impact of motorized private mobility on the environment can be decreased successfully by encouraging more people to carpool. From a psychological perspective, only little is known about the determinants of carpooling. Therefore, this study investigated carpooling behavior based on a theoretical background that integrates (1) the theory of planned behavior, (2) the norm activation model, and (3) dispositional trust. Additionally, we studied carpooling from two separate perspectives: Passengers sharing rides, and the drivers offering rides. We conducted a survey with a representative sample of 342 participants in Switzerland. The results showed that for both, passengers and drivers, normative aspects such as descriptive and personal norms, in combination with perceived behavioral control predicted carpooling intention. Attitude toward carpooling behavior, however, did not have any predictive power regarding carpooling intention, neither for passengers nor drivers. Dispositional trust displayed an indirect effect on intention to carpool as a passenger or driver via perceived behavioral control. Based on these results, we discuss practical implications for designing measures to promote carpooling successfully in the future.

Take me on a ride: The role of environmentalist identity for carpooling

“…Results show that providing one's car is also a matter of identity and in particular of environmentalist identity. The simplest step could be to simply stress that carpooling is, in fact, a more sustainable alternative to driving alone (Bachmann et al, 2018). Policy makers worldwide can use this aspect for systematic campaigning.…”

“…Much has changed since then. One recent contribution to carpooling by Bachmann, Hanimann, Artho, and Jonas (2018) acknowledges the role of online carpooling platforms by particularly addressing the role of norms for offering a ride as a driver and accepting a ride as a passenger via an online platform. Online platforms have introduced new levels of flexibility via the sheer amount of opportunities offered and they have made it much easier to share a ride.…”

Why Do They Ride with Others? Meta-Analysis of Factors Influencing Travelers to Carpool

“…Other motivators are saving costs, reducing congestion, and living in a more environmentally friendly way. A few papers attempted to explain carpooling with a behavioral change theory (e.g., theory of reasoned action and theory of planned behavior), including an older paper by Ozanne and Mollenkopf [21], a thesis written in Chinese by Yang [22], and a recent paper by Bachmann et al [23]. Hence, we identified a gap in the literature linking carpooling to psychological theories.…”

Pengaruh Perceived Value dan Perceived Risk terhadap Willingness to Use: Studi Kasus Carpooling Mobile Application di Indonesia

“…Carpooling adalah berbagi tumpangan sehingga dua orang atau lebih bepergian bersama dalam satu kendaraan [8]. Manfaat carpooling, yaitu meningkatkan aliran lalu lintas, menghemat waktu, dan menurunkan konsumsi bahan bakar [9].…”