2013 Session: 491

• Unraveling the Travel Behavior of Carsharing Members from GPS Traces
  Abstract: As carsharing becomes increasingly popular over the world, it is interesting to better understand the underlying characteristics of the trips made by the members when they use the cars. Up to this day, few studies reported on the details of trips. This paper presents a methodology that can be used to analyse three components of a carsharing member journey: the locations of its stops, the attributes of its trips and the characteristics of trip chaining. The method is based on the processing of GPS traces collected aboard carsharing vehicles. It uses a 5-minute stop identification criterion to cut the trip chains into separate trips. The case study is the Communauto system in the Montreal area, Canada. The study shows that carsharing members will make more trips during their trip chains than typical car owners. However, carsharing trips are shorter and often conducted for utilitarian purposes (shopping, visits) and not for work. Members tend to optimize the use of the cars during their rental time (up to 50% of the time in movement for short trip chains, 30% for longer duration).
  Authors: Leclerc, Benoit; Trepanier, Martin; Morency, Catherine
  Authors: Leclerc, Benoit; Trepanier, Martin; Morency, Catherine
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation
  Session: 491
  Paper Number: 13-1705
• Smart Devices and Travel Time Use by Bus Passengers in Vancouver, Canada
  Abstract: This research investigates bus passengers’ activity patterns and the usage of smart devices at bus stops and on buses. Using both passive observations and self-reported surveys mainly from college students in Vancouver, Canada, it found that the majority of passengers used their time actively instead of doing nothing. Most of the observed active activities are associated with the usage of smart devices. Although the possession of smart devices is prevalent, only a small portion of passengers (less than a third) actually use them during travel. A variety of environmental and trip factors, personal attributes, and past experiences influence the usage of smart devices, but only explain the variation marginally. Research also found that the usage of smart devices encourages multitasking both at bus stops and on buses. Smart phones are the most conducive to multitasking, followed by iPod/MP3 players, and iPads/tablets.
  Authors: Guo, Zhan; Derian, Alexandra; Zhao, Jinhua
  Authors: Guo, Zhan; Derian, Alexandra; Zhao, Jinhua
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation
  Session: 491
  Paper Number: 13-4274
• The Market and Impacts of New Types of Carsharing Systems: Case Study of Greater London
  Abstract: Short-term car rental services known as Carsharing (CS) have grown rapidly from a very small base over the past decade. They are primarily found in dense urban areas in the developed world though they are reaching beyond this comfort zone in several ways. There are now more than a million subscribers worldwide. CS services generally require public sector support, though this is not always the case and may be less so in the future. Some CS systems are publicly-funded, but policymakers are taking note of this mode of transport for several other reasons as well: it affects use of other forms of transportation, it impacts on important outcomes such as emissions and parking needs, and it uses privileged access to publicly-owned on-street space. At the moment policymakers must make decisions on a very limited evidence base, in particular as regards new types of CS systems.To date a small number of studies have attempted to forecast how widespread CS services might become and the likely impacts. This paper presents forecasts prepared with a newly-developed methodology using London, England as a case study. We show that the potential market and impacts of CS systems are highly-dependent on the specific service features.
  Authors: Le Vine, Scott; Sivakumar, Aruna; Lee-Gosselin, Martin E. H.; Polak, John W.
  Authors: Le Vine, Scott; Sivakumar, Aruna; Lee-Gosselin, Martin E. H.; Polak, John W.
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation
  Session: 491
  Paper Number: 13-4389
• Qualitative Insights on the Travel Behavior Effects of Joining a Carshare
  Abstract: Carsharing organisations (‘carshares’) provide collectively-available vehicles that can be booked for exclusive use on a ‘pay-as-you-go’ basis. Previous research has shown that there are two groups who join carshares: accessors, who do not have a car on joining a carshare and gain access to one; and shedders, who give up a car on joining a carshare. The paper examines the circumstances and motivations for accessors and shedders to join a carshare, changes to their travel behaviour in the short and longer run and how their behaviour might have changed if they had not joined. This is achieved through in-depth interviews of members of a carshare in the city of Bath in the UK. It is found that the carshare attracted those already contemplating giving up their car or triggered to consider giving up their car ownership by life events. Joining a carshare prevents acquisition of cars for some members but some subsequently take opportunities to acquire cars as circumstances change. Once shedders become members it is found they adapt to managing without a personal car and use a variety of transport modes, planning their activity-travel schedules in advance and taking into account costs and convenience of different options. The increasing popularity of new mobility options such as carsharing also has implications for the methods used to analyse and model travel behaviour. The options of joining a carshare and using carshare vehicles should be included in transport models for areas where carshares operate.
  Authors: Chatterjee, Kiron; Andrews, Geoffrey Paul; Ricci, Miriam; Parkhurst, Graham
  Authors: Chatterjee, Kiron; Andrews, Geoffrey Paul; Ricci, Miriam; Parkhurst, Graham
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation
  Session: 491
  Paper Number: 13-4590
• Unraveling the Travel Behavior of Carsharing Members from GPS Traces
  Authors: Trepanier, Martin
  Authors: Trepanier, Martin
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation
  Session: 491
  Paper Number: 13-1705
• Qualitative Insights on the Travel Behavior Effects of Joining a Carshare
  Authors: Chatterjee, Kiron
  Authors: Chatterjee, Kiron
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation
  Session: 491
  Paper Number: 13-4590
• Smart Devices and Travel Time Use by Bus Passengers in Vancouver, Canada
  Authors: Derian, Alexandra
  Authors: Derian, Alexandra
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation
  Subject: Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation
  Session: 491
  Paper Number: 13-4274