THE POTENTIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CARSHARING AND CARPOOLING SYSTEMS: A SURVEY-BASED ANALYSIS OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN POLAND

摘要

Shared mobility services are developing dynamically in countries of Central and Eastern Europe - such as Poland and other young market economies as well. In this study, we explore the issue of carsharing and carpooling systems development potential among university students in Poland - a fast growing economy with a pro-car mobility culture. In spring 2016, 452 surveys were collected from universities in nine cities in Poland. The study was aimed at university students, which means mostly people of 18-24 years of age. The study was conducted with the use of the CAWI method. The questionnaire was published on-line and disseminated among university students in selected major cities in Poland. The findings indicate that there is a place for shared mobility schemes in the Polish market, but presently, there is very scant awareness of such solutions. There are many barriers to carsharing and carpooling development, mainly due to the fact that the car is a symbol of freedom and independence, as well as a mark of social status worth spending money on, especially for young people such as university students. Previous studies have focused mainly on highly developed economies, with large, densely populated cities, where the shared mobility schemes have existed for many years and already are a part of transport policy. The results of this study may be used by the local and regional authorities in developing economies, so that the shared mobility schemes could become a part of urban transport systems.