Vehicle ownership reduction: A comparison of one-way and two-way carsharing systems

This paper explores how membership in different carsharing service types impacts vehicle ownership. We study the difference between carsharing services offering a one-way (free-floating) service utilizing 2-seaters (Car2go) to a two-way service utilizing a range of vehicles (Modo). By analyzing 3,405 survey responses from carsharing users in Vancouver, we found that users of both Car2go and Modo reported reduced vehicle ownership after joining a carsharing service. However, households differ both in how many cars they owned before they joined carsharing services, and how their membership was associated with further change in car ownership. The average Vancouver household owns 1.56 vehicles. According to this survey's respondents, households joining Car2go report average car ownership rates of 1.08 prior to joining up and 0.98 afterwards. Households joining Modo reduced their ownership from an average of 0.68 to 0.36 vehicles. Furthermore, Modo members were close to five times more likely to reduce car ownership compared to Car2go users. We also found that the two services are used differently. Car2go members are more likely to use the service as a complement to all modes of transportation. Modo members are more likely to use access to carsharing as a substitute for private car ownership. Analysis of expressed preferences in response to termination of access to carsharing indicates that carsharing services have been substituting mobility services previously supplied by private vehicles. The intention to gain a vehicle under the service termination was strongest among users who had both Car2go and Modo memberships. These findings show the two services are not rivals but complements providing different mobility services.