Investigating Mode Choice of Ridesourcing Services: Accounting for Attitudes and Market Segmentation

Authors

Ghazaleh AzimiFollow

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Major/Program

Civil Engineering

First Advisor's Name

Xia Jin

First Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Chair

Second Advisor's Name

Albert Gan

Second Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Member

Third Advisor's Name

Mohammed Hadi

Third Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Member

Fourth Advisor's Name

Priyanka Alluri

Fourth Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Member

Fifth Advisor's Name

B. M. Golam Kibria

Fifth Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Member

Keywords

Mode Choice, Shared Mobility, Attitudes, Stated Preference Survey, Panel Data

Date of Defense

11-12-2021

Abstract

The phenomenal development of ridesourcing is possibly one of the greatest revolutions that have happened to transportation networks. Ridesourcing improves mobility and mitigates traffic congestion by reducing vehicle ownership and serving as a first/last-mile feeder to public transportation. This tremendous growth created a burgeoning literature exploring ridesourcing users' characteristics, yet there is no clear picture of its market. In the absence of sufficient information, policymakers face a major challenge in planning equitable and accessible transportation systems. This dissertation presents a detailed analysis of individuals’ decisions to adopt ridesourcing, focusing on three main objectives that have not been addressed previously. First, a reduced fare of ridesourcing was considered to explore its adoption beyond cost constraints. Second, the effect of attitudes on the choice of ridesourcing was explored. Lastly, the adoption of ridesourcing across various market segments was examined. Advanced economic models were applied to the data from a stated preference survey, which is a rich database of attitudes and mobility patterns.

The results indicate that attitudes play a major role in the adoption of ridesourcing and considering the impact of attitudinal factors could provide valuable insights into individuals’ behavior toward ridesourcing. It was shown that attitudinal factors (e.g., technology-savviness, driving enjoyment) could explain individuals' choice behavior in a way that cannot be clarified by socioeconomic and demographic factors.

The market segment-based analysis of ridesourcing adoption demonstrated that different segments have distinct perceptions and attitudes toward ridesourcing. For instance, for regular transit users, travel time and cost perceptions are decisive factors in adopting ridesourcing. In contrast, visitors (i.e., auto users when their vehicle is unavailable) will adopt ridesourcing when it provides higher utility regarding time, cost, and convenience. Moreover, regarding the impact of ridesourcing experience on the adoption of these services, it was shown that individuals with no ridesourcing experience are more sensitive to traveling with strangers, worry about the higher travel time, and are more attached to their vehicles. Finally, considering the role of generational effects on ridesourcing adoption, it was shown that Generation Xers' choice highly depends on the perceived utility of shared mobility and their desires for mobility for non-drivers features. Contrarily, Millennials’ choices are more likely to be affected by their preference toward technology and driving stress relief.

Identifier

FIDC010438

ORCID

0000-0001-5646-6908

Previously Published In

Azimi, G., Rahimi, A., Asgari, H., & Jin, X. (2020). Role of attitudes in transit and auto users’ mode choice of ridesourcing. Transportation Research Record, 2674(11), 1-16.

Azimi, G., Rahimi, A., & Jin, X. (2021). Exploring the attitudes of Millennials and Generation Xers toward ridesourcing services. Transportation, 1-35.

Azimi, G., & Jin, X. (2021). Propensity toward Ridesourcing: The Impacts of Previous Experience and Mode Dependency. Transportation Engineering, Part A: Systems (In Press).

Recommended Citation

Azimi, Ghazaleh, "Investigating Mode Choice of Ridesourcing Services: Accounting for Attitudes and Market Segmentation" (2021). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 4857.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/4857