What Kind of Travellers Are Using Carsharing in Beijing? A Study Based on Selective Ensemble Learning

Impact of Urban Spatial Transformation on the Mobility of Commuters with Different Transportation Modes in China: Evidence from Kunming 2011–2016

Many emerging economies, including China, are undergoing rapid and large-scale urban spatial transformation. Thus, the daily mobility of transportation-disadvantaged groups, especially non-car users, has received increased attention, as these people may experience significant restrictions in their daily activities. Such restrictions raise issues with respect to transport-related social exclusion, which are detrimental to the sustainability of urban transportation systems. Activity participation and time use have been used to measure the spatial barriers and inequalities that travelers face in their daily lives. However, limited research has been conducted on how the daily mobility of different transportation modes has evolved over a longer period relative to urban development. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the activity participation and time use of car travelers in comparison with other transportation mode groups in Kunming from 2011 to 2016, a period of rapid growth in motorization. A three-layer activity structure was used to characterize the hierarchy of activity requirements. Propensity score matching was used to compare the mobility of commuters across different urban periods and transportation modes while controlling several confounding factors. Three conclusions were drawn from the results of the study: First, changes in urban form and transportation system cause residential suburbanization and a considerable increase in private-car and public transportation at the expense of non-motorized transportation modes. Second, the degree of impact of urban space transformation on personal mobility is ranked in descending order of public transit, cycling and walking, e-bike, and cars. Third, the traffic disadvantage of non-car users is obvious, and the mobility gap of commuters with different travel modes tends to widen over time. We discuss the consequences of transport-related social exclusion and highlight directions for future sustainable transportation planning research.

“Sustainability” as a Motive for Choosing Shared-Mobility Services: The Case of Polish Consumers of Uber Services

(1) Background: Uber Technologies are currently changing the pattern of urban transport. Statista reports that in the period 2017–2019 alone, the average monthly number of active Uber users worldwide increased by 126.5%, and the average monthly number of Uber trips grew by 115%. The purpose of this article is to identify the most important motives encouraging both current and potential customers to use Uber “taxi” services. Particular attention was paid to the factor of perceiving these services as a more sustainable way of meeting transport needs. Uber creates its image specifically on the idea of sustainability. (2) Methods: The operationalization of the sustainability concept was based on three dimensions: ecological, social and economic. The CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interview) technique was used to collect the research data. The representative research sample covered 1003 Poles. A logistic regression model was used to analyze empirical data collected based on the survey. The data analysis used R program and the selected packages for this program. (3) Results: Among the most important motives, sustainability is the most frequently indicated. (4) Conclusions: The choices of Uber services are significantly influenced by the reasons related to two sustainability pillars—one social and one economic. The factors significantly influencing consumer decision-making processes related to the use of shared mobility services belong to the following groups of motives: sustainable development, knowledge of information and communication technologies (ICT), innovation, user convenience and savings. The findings from the study can become the basis for organizations and local authorities to undertake appropriate marketing activities to promote shared-mobility services (SMS) and support sustainable and environmentally friendly development.