Analysis of system parameters for one-way carsharing systems

Abstract

ABSTRACT Recently, carsharing has emerged as an alternative to vehicle ownership in many countries worldwide. This study examines the system parameters of one-way carsharing systems to determine a trade-off between the lost sales rate and system parameters. Four system parameters are considered in this study, namely average number of vehicles per station, rate of one-way trip, average number of staffs per station, and relocation policy. The performance of round-trip carsharing systems is also compared to that of one-way carsharing systems. A regression model is developed to predict the lost sales rate based on the various operational conditions for a one-way carsharing system. The findings of the study provide tools to understand the impact of carsharing system parameters on the efficiency of carsharing operations and predict the performance of such systems when any modifications occur.