01551204

Component

Finding a desirable route quickly and in direct communication with the passenger is perhaps the most significant problem carpooling faces today. This problem can be resolved most effectively with what Shaheen called "technology-enabled ride-matching". Social networking can contribute in this direction. However, questions emerge about the conditions and limits that users would accept in order to disclose their position or their intention to make a trip to an online database. The objective of this paper is to address two major issues: (a) whether discloser of privacy requires a fee (cost), or if in the context of social media such information can be given with less cost (or perhaps even free of charge), and (b) the potential efficiency improvement of a carpooling application, based on those media. The methodology quantifies the relationship between cost, privacy in social media and efficiency of carpooling. The experiment is based on a stated-preference questionnaire that was designed according to efficient experimental design analysis. The final questionnaire was distributed online to respondents in Greece through a suitable online survey platform. A structural equation model has been specified and estimated. The results provide useful insights regarding the future of carpooling, the criteria and the trends of using carpooling through internet based ride matching. The tendency of drivers to seek efficiency with the least cost and privacy exposure is confirmed, while other interesting results emerge, such as the demand of women for more efficient carpooling, and a trend of younger people to expose their position.

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AND20 User Information Systems. Alternate title: Social Network Impact on Carpooling System Performance: Privacy Versus Efficiency.

01550057

15-1540

English

20p

2015

Transportation Research Board 94th Annual Meeting

Digital/other

Figures; References; Tables

Carpools; Economic and social factors; Internet; Privacy; Ridesharing; Social media; Stated preferences; Structural equation modeling

Social networking

Greece

Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Society; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2015 Paper #15-1540

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Dec 30 2014 12:34PM