How Carsharing Affects the Travel Behavior of Households: A Case Study of Montréal, Canada

Abstract

Although carsharing is spreading across the world, few studies have examined its collective benefits. There is a need to analyze the socio-demographic features of users, and assess the role and impact of carsharing on the overall travel behaviors of their households. This article compares the results of two simultaneous surveys in the Montréal area: a web-based survey among carsharing users; and a regional, large-scale household travel survey. Results show a significant difference in modal split of car use between carsharing users and typical residents, for various types of households and levels of carsharing use. In all cases, carsharing members never reached the level of car use observed in the population.