Impact of carsharing on the mobility of lower-income populations in California

Abstract

Mobility is an important quality of life element, with automobile ownership regularly playing an essential role in the mobility of lower-income populations. While carsharing has gained significant momentum in the past decade as an alternative to private vehicle ownership, less is known about the role of carsharing as a mobility mode for lower-income households. To address this gap, this paper examines the impact of carsharing on the mobility of lower-income populations. This study analyzes data from the 2012 California Household Travel Survey by employing a Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), which controls for residential self-selection, car-ownership and carsharing endogeneity issues, and simultaneity bias. Model results indicate that while carsharing membership enhances mobility for both lower- and higher-income households, it has a more substantial effect on mobility among lower-income families, primarily when it is coupled with public transportation services. The findings of this study underscore the importance of the coordination between carsharing operators and public transportation agencies for enhancing the mobility of lower-income populations.