Analyzing young people’s behavioral intention on using demand-responsive transportation and ride-matching apps

The rapid intersection of transportation and technology is reshaping the mobility landscape, with shared mobility services and ride-matching apps at the forefront. However, despite their potential to promote sustainable urban transportation, widespread adoption of emerging transportation services remains a challenge - particularly in car-dependent contexts. Previous studies have largely focused on either DRT or ride-matching services separately and often treat young users as a homogeneous group, which may not be the case. This study addresses this gap by exploring young adults' attitudes and intentions towards demand-responsive transportation systems (DRT) and ride-matching apps integrated into carpooling, both as drivers and passengers, addressing urban mobility challenges and promoting sustainable transportation. This study contributes to the current understanding of the factors affecting the behavioral intention of these on-demand shared mobility services by assessing similarities and differences between them, aiding the continuous development of transportation policies. A large-scale survey was conducted among young adults in Nicosia, Cyprus, with 1236 responses collected. The analysis employed econometric modeling techniques, revealing valuable insights. The findings indicate that females and people living in smaller households are more inclined to use DRT services. Furthermore, females and the unemployed are more likely to utilize the ride-matching app as passengers rather than as drivers. These results can inform marketing strategies, pricing schemes, policy-making decisions, and infrastructure planning, offering a comprehensive understanding of alternative transportation services to reduce single occupancy vehicle trips.