Abstract
Today, car sharing represents a generally accepted and widespread mode of individual transport. Car sharing providers operate their fleets effectively in many cities around the world. Surprisingly, rural areas don’t seem to have been considered in provider’s current expansion strategies. However, studies suggest that car sharing would have the greatest impact on improving sustainability and reducing traffic if it were offered nationwide. In this paper, we analyze the factors that prevent car sharing enterprises from developing their services in rural regions. Supported by a simulation model, we elaborate strategic implications on how to deal with potential hindrances such as lower demand or longer driving distances. For this purpose, a symbiosis of urban and rural car sharing services was analyzed. Our findings indicate a certain feasibility of rural car sharing development, while highlighting the positive effect it could have on car sharing demand in urban areas.
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The authors would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their constructive remarks.
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Stefan Illgen reviewed the literature, designed the simulation model and performed and analyzed the simulation experiments. Michael Höck supervised the research and provided critical feedback. Stefan Illgen and Michael Höck wrote the manuscript.
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Illgen, S., Höck, M. Establishing car sharing services in rural areas: a simulation-based fleet operations analysis. Transportation 47, 811–826 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11116-018-9920-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11116-018-9920-5