Exploring the behavioral stage transition of traveler's adoption of carsharing: An integrated choice and latent variable model

Abstract

This study investigates the process of stage transition in traveler's adoption of carsharing. The carsharing adoption behaviors are classified into five stages using the transtheoretical model: precontemplation (PC), contemplation (C), preparation (PA), action (A), and maintenance (M). In Beijing, a comprehensive survey combining stated preference and revealed preference methods is conducted to collect data on travelers' adoption attitudes and related attributes, such as socioeconomic characteristics, travel features, and carsharing usage environments. Specifically, ten latent attitudinal variables are derived from the technology acceptance model and theory of planned behavior. An integrated choice and latent variable model is developed to examine the impact of these explanatory factors on the transition processes between the five adoption stages. The findings reveal that the effects of explanatory factors on stage transitions in carsharing adoption behaviors differ across stages. Factors such as education level, income, having children, car ownership, familiarity with carsharing, personal condition, and social pressures play a crucial role in the early stages of understanding before carsharing adoption, namely the PC-C and C-PA stage transitions. Conversely, in the later stages (PA-A and A-M), travelers show a greater emphasis on carsharing infrastructure, including station reachability, vehicle availability, and perception toward rental stations and shared vehicles. Additionally, factors related to travel habits and expectations are influential throughout all stages of the carsharing adoption process. Lastly, three categories of measures, namely soft, neutral, and hard measures, are derived from the results to guide policymakers and carsharing operators in formulating strategies for the operation and management of carsharing systems.