Comparing car-sharing schemes in Switzerland: User groups and usage patterns

Free-floating car-sharing schemes operate without fixed car-sharing stations, ahead reservations or return-trip requirements. Providing fast and convenient motorization, they attract both public transportation users and (former) car-owners. However, given their highly flexible nature and different pricing structures, previous findings on user groups and environmental impact of station-based car-sharing may not be easily transferable. Therefore, this research uses survey data to compare user groups and usage patterns of a free-floating and station-based car-sharing service both operating in the city of Basel, Switzerland. The findings suggest, that the schemes indeed attract different user groups and are also used differently. Moreover, we see, that car-sharing membership is governed by other factors than car-sharing activity.