Understanding travel patterns of ride-hailing service sub-population groups and effects of transit investment on ride-hailing users’ potential mode switching: A case study of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Ride-hailing services (especially motorcycle-based ride-hailing services -MBRH) have seen a boom in Vietnamese cities because these services can serve as a more efficient alternative to urban mobility. However, relatively little is known about travel patterns of sub-population groups of ride-hailing services, including the spatiotemporal demand, origin, and destination patterns of ride-hailing users, and the effects of transit investment on the mode switching from current ride-hailing users. This information is particularly important for the implementation of traffic management measures focusing on public transport, in light of concerns about the reverse side of the ride-hailing services, such as aggravating the traffic conditions and causing losses in the public transport market. In this paper, we present an in-depth analysis of the travel patterns of MBRH, based on large-scale household survey data collected in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, with the statistical technique of Chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests. In addition, the independent and combined effects of Revealed Preference (RP) and Stated Preference (SP) data on the mode switch for MBRH users were studied using the Nested Logit models. The results indicate that speed and flexibility are seen as outstanding features of MBRH in attracting users. Furthermore, mode switch model estimation results show that traditional attributes (i.e., travel time and cost) and transit design factors (i.e., accessibility) are of lower importance to mode-switching behavior compared with sociodemographic factors. These findings suggest that MBRH services fill an important transportation niche and may affect the environment and transportation equity. • Motorcycle-based ride-hailing (MBRH) services are prevalent in Vietnamese cities and other cities in Asian countries. • We explore trends in MBRH use, including spatiotemporal travel patterns, trip types, and the benefits of MBRH services among sub-population groups. • We investigated the effects of new transit investment strategies on mode switching behavior targeting MBRH users. • The study contributes to the understanding of MBRH's relative importance in urban mobility.