Beyond the Early Adopters: Examining the potential for car-sharing in Richmond, Virginia

Abstract

BEYOND THE EARLY ADOPTERS: EXAMINING THE POTENTIAL FOR CARSHARING IN RICHMOND, VIRGINIA By Steven P. Spears, MURP A Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Urban and Regional Planning at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2008 Major Director: Michela M. Zonta, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Department of Urban and Regional Planning Car-sharing is a membership-based mobility service that offers short-term vehicle rentals. Studies have shown that car-sharing can increase transportation sustainability by encouraging the use of public transit and reducing vehicle miles traveled. This thesis examines the potential for car-sharing in Richmond, Virginia through an attitude-based qualitative pilot study. Using the theory of planned behavior as a framework, urban and suburban residents were asked questions that measured car-sharing intention strength, mode choice habit, and life change effects. The study found that even among those with positive attitudes toward car-sharing, existing habits, lack of adequate commuting alternatives and the needs of non-driving dependents were major hindrances to sharedviii car use. Better facilities and interventions designed to encourage the use of transit, walking, and bicycling may play an important role in overcoming these obstacles and increasing the viability of car-sharing in Greater Richmond. Chapter I: Introduction Car-sharing is a mobility service that makes vehicles available to members on a short-term basis – normally a few hours at a time. Members typically pay a joining fee and are then charged based on time and/or mileage used. By trading car ownership for car access, members may save on their overall transportation costs and gain access to a range of vehicles that have specific capabilities for various journeys. Car-sharing can be utilized by both individuals and employers to increase mobility options and facilitate the use of other transportation modes, such as transit, walking, and cycling. Car sharing organizations take on a variety of structures, from for-profit corporations to local cooperatives to non-profit organizations. They also use a variety of operational models, including station cars, neighborhood car-sharing, multi-nodal shared-use vehicles, and hybrid approaches (Barth and Shaheen, 2002) . Station cars are located at major public transport stations and are intended to serve users on the final leg of a multi-modal journey. With neighborhood car-sharing, vehicles are placed within neighborhoods to serve the daily needs of local residents. Multi-nodal systems allow users to travel between multiple activity centers, including college campuses, airports, shops, and major employment centers. Cars can be used for round trips or driven oneway between activity centers. Finally, hybrid models have been developed that use combinations of the three other types. For example, the CarLink pilot program in the