What influences user attitudes? What planning and operational methods can be used to increase the use of urban shared mobility services? Joint research with university ELTE.
Researchers from the Transport System and Mobility Services Research Group of the Department of Transport Technology and Transport Economics and researchers from the Institute of Intercultural Psychology and Education at ELTE have launched a joint OTKA research project to reveal how shared mobility services can be promoted.
More and more cars on the roads, especially in cities, cause many problems, such as traffic jams and pollution. Though public transport is available, most car users are reluctant to give up private car use. Accordingly, shared mobility services emerge to ease the negative impact of car use by combining the advantages of private and public transport. Instead of ownership, the mobility is provided as a service; either the vehicle is shared, such as bike-sharing (BuBi), and car-sharing (Greengo), or the passenger capacity is shared (ride-sharing Oszkár/Motar). However, the modal share of these mobility services is still rather low.
What is the reason behind this fact? How can we motivate people to be commited to sharing? Why people use or do not use shared mobility services should be understood. To answer these questions, ELTE psychologists, sociologists, and BME transport engineers work together to identify the barriers hindering shared mobility services and to elaborate the best solutions.
Accordingly, different studies (e.g., questionnaire, interviews) will be conducted to find the motivations behind respondents’ mobility habits. After identifying the influential factors of the decisions and expectations, the demand for shared services will be determined. Station locating and vehicle reallocation methods will be developed and dynamic tariff structure will be created considering the people’s need to boost the use. Finally, the impacts of shared mobility use on parking and air quality will be analysed. During the project, a close relationship will be established with the existing service providers, such as MOL Bubi bike-sharing, Greengo car-sharing, and Oszkár/Motar ride-sharing companies, as well as with Józsefváros municipality. The 4-years research project was officially launched at the project kick-off meeting on 9th January at ELTE.
