Ridesharing is quite a popular topic of discussion among transport authority personnel. It is perceived to be a viable alternative
to classical modes of transportation, and receives a great deal of political support from transport planners. However, not
much objective information is available on ridesharing behaviors. We use travel survey data to study the evolution of the
ridesharing market in an urban area. Our study is based on data from four large-scale OD surveys conducted in the Greater
Montreal Area (1987, 1993, 1998 and 2003).
In the latest survey conducted in Montreal, car passengers were asked to identify the driver who gave them the opportunity
to travel in this way. Their answers were classified according to the type of driver; for instance, a member of their household,
a neighbor or a co-worker. We use this information to calibrate a model matching car passengers and car drivers belonging
to the same household. This will be referred to as IHHR (intra-household ridesharing).
Preliminary results reveal that approximately 70% of all trips made by car passengers are the result of IHHR. Furthermore,
around 15% of those trips are questionable, in that they were exclusively generated for another individual’s purposes, consequently
generating an additional trip for the journey back home. Moreover, this percentage increased over time. Objective data regarding
ridesharing and its evolution in an urban area will undoubtedly help decision makers gain a clearer profile of this means
of travel and help to realign attitudes on the issue.
Keywords Carsharing - Greater Montreal Area (GMA) - Origin–destination surveys - Ridesharing - Sustainable transportation