Transactions on Transport Sciences X:X | DOI: 10.5507/tots.2024.024

Students' Intentions toward Carpooling in Sohar, Oman: Importance of Various Motivating Factors, Incentives, and Barriers

Muhammad Ashraf Javid, Maryam Ibrahim Saeed AL-Shehhi, Mazoun Hamad Sulaiyme AL-Youqabi
Faculty of Engineering, Sohar University, Sohar, 311, Oman

This study explores the carpooling potential among university students considering the various incentives, discounts, motives, and barriers. A questionnaire was designed and conducted with the students of Sohar University, Oman. The analysis of collected 250 samples showed that more than 60% of the students were willing to accept carpooling considering the various benefits and incentives. The ANOVA analysis revealed significant differences in interest in carpooling according to multiple segments of students based on age, marital status, vehicle ownership, driving a car, and study major. Factor analysis yielded four factors of encouraging variables and three factors of discouraging variables. The factors of accessibility, convenience, cost and physical, and incentives are significant predictors of carpooling intentions. Also, the factors of perceived difficulty, freedom, trust, and commitment concerns are significant predictors of intentions. The students' preference for the bus over carpooling negatively affects the intention, whereas, carpooling experience, carpooling for the reduction in traffic congestion, and study major (engineering) positively correlated with carpooling intentions. These findings provide a useful understanding of the significant factors influencing the behavioral intentions of students toward carpooling.

Keywords: Travel demand management; Carpooling, Travel Behaviour, Traffic Congestion, Mode choice

Received: August 24, 2024; Revised: November 3, 2024; Accepted: November 5, 2024; Prepublished online: January 7, 2025 

Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Abutaleb, S., El-Bassiouny, N., & Hamed, S. (2021). Sharing Rides and Strides toward Sustainability: An Investigation of Carpooling in an Emerging Market. Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, 32(1), 4-19. doi: 10.1108/MEQ-02-2020-0031. Go to original source...
    2. Adelé, S., & Dionisio, C. (2020). Learning from the Real Practices of Users of a Smart Carpooling App. European Transport Research Review, 12(1),1-14. doi: 10.1186/S12544-020-00429-3. Go to original source...
    3. Al-Masaeid, H.R., & Al Olaimat, G. A. (2023). Modeling Determinants of Carpooling Intentions in Jordan. Transportation Research Record, 2677(3), 797-819. https://doi.org/10.1177/03611981221117819 Go to original source...
    4. Alquhtani, S. (2022). Ridesharing as a Potential Sustainable Transportation Alternative in Suburban Universities: The Case of Najran University, Saudi Arabia. Sustainability, 14(8), 4392. doi: 10.3390/SU14084392. Go to original source...
    5. Amirkiaee, S.Y., Evangelopoulos, N. (2018). Why Do People Rideshare? An Experimental Study. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 55, 9-24. doi: 10.1016/j.trf.2018.02.025. Go to original source...
    6. Asghari, M., Al-e-hashem, S.M.J.M, Rekik, Y. (2022). Environmental and social implications of incorporating carpooling service on a customized bus system. Computers & Operations Research, 142, 105724. https://doi.org/10.1016/ j.cor.2022.105724. Go to original source...
    7. Ayaz, A., Waheed, A., Saleem, H., & Abid, M.M. (2021). Travelers' attitude towards carpooling in Islamabad. Journal of Engineering and Applied Science, 68(1):23. doi: 10.1186/s44147-021-00023-x. Go to original source...
    8. Bachmann, F., Hanimann, a., Artho, J., & Jonas, K. (2018). What Drives People to Carpool? Explaining Carpooling Intention from the Perspectives of Carpooling Passengers and Drivers. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 59(A), 260-68. doi: 10.1016/j.trf.2018.08.022. Go to original source...
    9. Ballo, R. (2023). Carpooling in West Africa: The Shared Mobility Revolution Just a Click Away. E3S Web of Conferences, 418, 02007. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202341802007 Go to original source...
    10. Bruglieri, M., Ciccarelli, D., Colorni, A., & Luè, A. (2011). PoliUniPool: a carpooling system for universities. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 20, 558-567. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.08.062. Go to original source...
    11. Buliung, R. N., Soltys, K., Habel, C., & Lanyon, R. (2009). Driving Factors behind Successful Carpool Formation and Use. Transportation Research Record, 2118(1), 31-38. https://doi.org/10.3141/2118-05 Go to original source...
    12. CarpoolWorld. (2024). Carpool Islamabad, Pakistan. https://www.carpoolworld.com/. Accessed online on October 31, 2024.
    13. Cellina, F., Derboni, M., Giuffrida, V., Tomic, U., & Hoerler, R. (2024) Trust me if you can: Practical challenges affecting the integration of carpooling in Mobility-as-a-Service platforms. Travel Behaviour and Society, 37, 100832. https://doi.org/ 10.1016/j.tbs.2024.100832. Go to original source...
    14. Chang, L.H. (2022). Carpooling application for university students. Faculty of Information and Communication Technology, Universiti Tunku Abdur Rahman. http://eprints.utar.edu.my/id/eprint/4767.
    15. Cohen, M.C., Jacquillat, A., Ratzon, A., & Sasson, R. (2022). The impact of high-occupancy vehicle lanes on carpooling." Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 165, 186-206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2022.08.021. Go to original source...
    16. Collins, P. (2013). Carpooling. Published in Encyclopedia of Corporate Social Responsibility. Springer, 2013, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-28036-8. Go to original source...
    17. Correia, G., & Viegas, J.M. (2011). Carpooling and Carpool Clubs: Clarifying Concepts and Assessing Value Enhancement Possibilities through a Stated Preference Web Survey in Lisbon, Portugal. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 45(2), 81-90. doi: 10.1016/j.tra.2010.11.001. Go to original source...
    18. Deller, B. (2023). The Key to Successful University Carpool Programs. https://www.liftango.com/resources/university-carpool-programs.
    19. Dinesh, S., Rejikumar, G., & Sisodia, G.S. (2021). An empirical Investigation into carpooling behaviour for Sustainability. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 77, 181-196. https://doi.org/10.1016/ j.trf.2021.01.005. Go to original source...
    20. Eriksson, L., Garvill, J., & Nordlund, A.M. (2006). Acceptability of Travel Demand Management Measures: The Importance of Problem Awareness, Personal Norm, Freedom, and Fairness. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 26(1), 15-26. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2006.05.003. Go to original source...
    21. Ferguson, E. (1990). Transportation Demand Management Planning, Development, and Implementation. Journal of the American Planning Association, 56(4), 442-456. doi: 10.1080/01944369008975448. Go to original source...
    22. Hamad, K., Htun, P.T.T., & Obaid, L. (2021). Characterization of Travel Behavior at a University Campus: A Case Study of Sharjah University City, UAE. Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives, 12, 100488. doi: 10.1016/J.TRIP.2021.100488. Go to original source...
    23. Horton, J. (2020). Carpooling Cultures: Learning from University Students on-the-Move." University of Wollongong. https://ro.uow.edu.au/thss/25
    24. Javid, M. A., & Al-Khayyat, M.A. (2021). Factors Affecting the Student's Intentions to Choose Carpooling: A Case Study in Oman. Journal of the Chinese Institute of Engineers, 44(4), 332-241. doi: 10.1080/02533839.2021.1897685. Go to original source...
    25. Javid, M. A., & Al-Khayyat, M. A. (2024). Analyzing the students' moral obligation considering their carpooling intentions in Oman. Engineering and Applied Science Research, 51(5), 618-625. https://ph01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/easr/article/view/256277
    26. Javid, M. A., Mehmood, T., Asif, H.M., Vaince, A.U., & Raza. M. (2017). Travelers' Attitudes toward Carpooling in Lahore: Motives and Constraints. Journal of Modern Transportation, 25(4), 268-78. doi: 10.1007/s40534-017-0135-9. Go to original source...
    27. Javid, M. A., Okamura, T., Nakamura, F., Tanaka, S., & Wang, R. (2015). Factors Influencing the Acceptability of Travel Demand Management Measures in Lahore: Application of Behavioral Theories. Asian Transport Studies, 3(4), 447-66. doi: 10.11175/eastsats.3.447. Go to original source...
    28. Julagasigorn, P., Banomyong, R., Grant, D.B., & Varadejsatitwong, P. (2021). What Encourages People to Carpool? A Conceptual Framework of Carpooling Psychological Factors and Research Propositions. Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives, 12, 100493. doi: 10.1016/ J.TRIP.2021.100493. Go to original source...
    29. Kang, W., Wang, Q., Cheng, L., & Ning, M. (2024). Examining Commuters' Intention to Use App-Based Carpooling: Insights from the Technology Acceptance Model. Sustainability, 16(14), 5894. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16145894 Go to original source...
    30. Karos Mobility. (2023). Use case: exploring the power of carpooling in universities. https://www.karos-mobility.com/blog/all/use-case-exploring-the-power-of-carpooling-in-universities/. Accessed online on October 31, 2024
    31. Li, L., Zhang, H. & Gan, Z. (2024). Factors affecting college students' attitudes towards carpooling. Transportation Safety and Environment, 6(2): https://doi.org/10.1093/tse/tdad025 Go to original source...
    32. Liakopoulou, S., Kakana, M.M., Avtji, P., Genitsaris, E., & Naniopoulos, A. (2017). Investigating the Preferences of Students towards the Creation of a Carpooling System Serving the Academic Bodies of Thessaloniki City. Transportation Research Procedia, 24, 425-432. https://doi.org/10.1016/ j.trpro.2017.05.091 Go to original source...
    33. Lowe, W.U.A, & Piantanakulchai, M. (2023). Investigation of behavioral influences of carpool adoption for educational trips - A case study of Thammasat University, Thailand. Case Studies on Transport Policy, 12, 100970. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cstp.2023.100970. Go to original source...
    34. Madubuike, D. (2017). Changing Car Culture Towards Carpooling: A Case Study in Binghamton University (Part I: Analysis and Measurement of Potential)". Binghamton University Undergraduate Journal, 3(1), 1-27. https://orb.binghamton.edu/alpenglowjournal/vol3/iss1/8/ Go to original source...
    35. Meyer, M.D. (1999). Demand Management as an Element of Transportation Policy: Using Carrots and Sticks to Influence Travel Behavior. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 33(7-8), 575-99. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0965-8564(99)00008-7 Go to original source...
    36. Neoh, J.G., Chipulu, M., & Marshall, A. (2017). What Encourages People to Carpool? An Evaluation of Factors with Meta-Analysis. Transportation, 44, 423-447. doi: 10.1007/s11116-015-9661-7. Go to original source...
    37. Neoh, J.G., Chipulu, M., Marshall, A., & Tewkesbury, A. (2018). How commuters' motivations to drive relate to propensity to carpool: Evidence from the United Kingdom and the United States. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 11,128-148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2018.02.013. Go to original source...
    38. Noland, R. B. (2001). Relationships between Highway Capacity and Induced Vehicle Travel. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 35(1), 47-72. doi: 10.1016/S0965-8564(99)00047-6. Go to original source...
    39. Olsson, L.E., Maier, R., & Friman, M. (2019). Why Do They Ride with Others? Meta-Analysis of Factors Influencing Travelers to Carpool. Sustainability, 11(8), 2414. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11082414 Go to original source...
    40. Ostrovsky, M., & Schwarz, M. (2019). Carpooling and the Economics of Self-Driving Cars. Proceedings of the ACM Conference on Economics and Computation, 581-82. doi: 10.1145/3328526. Go to original source...
    41. Peduzzi, P., Concato, J., Kemper, E., Holford, T. R., & Feinstein, A. R. (1996). A simulation study of the number of events per variable in logistic regression analysis. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 49(12), 1373-1379. DOI: 10.1016/s0895-4356(96)00236-3 Go to original source...
    42. Piras, F., Sottile, E., & Meloni, I. (2018). Modal Share Change Following Implementation of Travel Demand Management Strategies. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board. 2672(8), 731-41. doi: 10.1177/0361198118773195. Go to original source...
    43. Rahimi, A., Azimi, G., & Jin, X. (2020). Examining human attitudes toward shared mobility options and autonomous vehicles. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 72, 133-154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2020.05.001. Go to original source...
    44. Rahimi, E., Shabanpour, R., Shamshiripour, A., & Mohammadian, A.K. (2021). Perceived risk of using shared mobility services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Transportation Research Part F Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 81, 271-281. doi: 10.1016/j.trf.2021.06.012. Go to original source...
    45. Saha, T., Lee, K., Hyun, K.K., Cassidy, J., & Jang, S. (2024). Understanding Travel Behaviors and Mobility Challenges Faced by Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Ageing and Longevity, 4(3), 177-187. https://doi.org/10.3390/jal4030012 Go to original source...
    46. Santi, P., Resta, G., Szell, M., & Ratti, C. (2014). Quantifying the Benefits of Vehicle Pooling with Shareability Networks. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 111(37), 13290-94. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1403657111. Go to original source...
    47. Seyedabrishami, S., Mamdoohi, A., Barzegar, A., & Hasanpour, S. (2012). Impact of Carpooling on Fuel Saving in Urban Transportation: Case Study of Tehran. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 54, 323-31. doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.09.751. Go to original source...
    48. Si, H., Shi, J., Hua, W., Cheng, L., De Vos, J., & Li, W. (2023). What Influences People to Choose Ridesharing? An Overview of the Literature. Transport Reviews, 43(6), 1211-36. doi: 10.1080/01441647.2023.2208290. Go to original source...
    49. Stefan, C., Renata, G., & Marcin, C. (2020). Ridesharing in the Polish Experience: A Study Using Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. Central European Economic Journal, 7(54), 279-99. doi: 10.2478/ceej-2020-0017. Go to original source...
    50. Sweet, M. (2013). Traffic Congestion's Economic Impacts: Evidence from US Metropolitan Regions. Urban Studies, 51(10), 2088-2110. doi: 10.1177/0042098013505883. Go to original source...
    51. Tahmasseby, S., Kattan, L., & Barbour, B. (2016). Propensity to Participate in a Peer-to-Peer Social-Network-Based Carpooling System. Journal of Advanced Transportation, 50(2), 240-54. doi: 10.1002/ATR.1326. Go to original source...
    52. Tavakol, M., & Dennick, R. (2011). Making sense of Cronbach's alpha. International Journal of Medical Education, 2, 53-5. doi: 10.5116/ijme.4dfb.8dfd Go to original source...
    53. Terrier, L., & Audrin, B. (2022). Carpooling in Times of Crisis: Organizational Identification as a Safety Belt. Case Studies on Transport Policy, 10(3), 1720. doi: 10.1016/J.CSTP.2022.07.002. Go to original source...
    54. Thopate, K., Sathe, M., Gujar, S., Honmute, S., Savji, P., Sawandkar, V., & Vishnoi, S. (2022). VISHWA-CONNECT: A Ride Sharing Mobile Application for Campus Students. International Journal for Research in Applied Science and Engineering Technology, 10(11), 771-74. doi: 10.22214/IJRASET.2022.47396. Go to original source...
    55. Tran, V.D (2020). The relationship among performance risk, safety risk, social risk, psychological risk, satisfaction and intentions to use grab service in Vietnam amid Covid-19 crisis. Journal of Project Management, 5, 201-210. doi: 10.5267/j.jpm.2020.8.003 Go to original source...
    56. Tsai, Y., Yu, C., & Boonprakob, R. (2021). Assessing carpooling drivers and barriers: Evidence from Bangkok, Thailand. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 82, 84-95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2021.07.017. Go to original source...
    57. Vélez, A.M.A., Ivanova, D., & Stadler, K. (2023). Shared mobility and lifestyles as mechanisms to reduce environmental impacts from passenger transportation. Environmental Research Letters, 18(8), 4025 DOI 10.1088/1748-9326/ace465 Go to original source...
    58. Wang, Y., Choudhury, C., Hancock, T.O., Wang, Y., & de Dios Ortúzar, J. (2024). Influence of perceived risk on travel mode choice during Covid-19. Transport Policy, 148, 181-191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tranpol.2024.01.009. Go to original source...
    59. Yuan, F., Wang, X., & Chen, Z. (2024). Assessing the impact of ride-sourcing vehicles on HOV-lane efficacy and management strategies. Transport Policy, 150, 35-52. https://doi.org/ 10.1016/j.tranpol.2024.02.017. Go to original source...
    60. Zhou, G., Huang, K., & Mao, L. (2014). Design of Commute Carpooling Based on Fixed Time and Routes.International Journal of Vehicular Technology, 634926, 1-8. doi: 10.1155/2014/634926. Go to original source...

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return