Publication Detail

Carlink—A Smart Carsharing System Field Test Report

UCD-ITS-RR-00-04

Research Report

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Suggested Citation:
Shaheen, Susan A., John Wright, David Dick, Linda Novick (2000) Carlink—A Smart Carsharing System Field Test Report. Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis, Research Report UCD-ITS-RR-00-04

The CarLink field test combined short-term rental vehicles with communication and reservation technologies to facilitate shared-vehicle access. The ten-month demonstration was implemented and researched by two teams at the Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis. Project partners included American Honda Motor Company, BART, Caltrans, PATH, and LLNL. INVERS and Teletrac provided advanced carsharing and vehicle tracking technologies.

Using surveys and focus groups, researchers explored attitudes toward the carsharing concept over time. This study builds upon the work of the CarLink longitudinal survey by linking carsharing market potential data to the CarLink field test population. Although the CarLink participant sample was not statistically significant, valuable lessons may still be drawn from the results. The CarLink field test results include: operational understanding; participant profiles; behavioral findings; economic viability; and directions for future research. Operational and participant profile highlights are discussed here.

Operational Highlights

Further insight into the CarLink field test, and the future potential of commuter-based carsharing was gained through exit questionnaires, household interviews, and focus groups. Some program feedback included:
  • CarLink users were comfortable with and preferred smart technologies.
  • Preferred parking was a substantial program user benefit.
  • CarLink reduced commute stress, even though travel times typically increased.
  • CarLink decreased Homeside User and Workside Commuter spontaneity, although this was not a daily concern.
  • Environmental concern was one reason that individuals joined the CarLink program, although not the dominant one.
  • Homeside Users thought having a CarLink pickup truck available would be very helpful.
  • The Workside Commuter group was required to carpool as part of the program. This required most members to alter their schedules, at least occasionally. Members said they would have carpooled more frequently, if partner communication had been facilitated by a messaging system (e.g., two-way pagers).
  • After joining CarLink, Homeside Users and Workside Commuters decreased their personal vehicle use. The Workside group also increased their recreational transit usage, possibly due to greater BART familiarity or ease of access.
  • If CarLink became a permanent service, several Homeside Users stated they would likely sell a personal auto and greatly reduce their transportation costs. Workside Commuters were more hesitant about selling a private vehicle until transit services improved, and CarLink provided more lot locations and vehicle variety.
  • The majority of Workside Commuters interviewed indicated that they would return to solo driving after CarLink ended, but carpool more frequently than they had previously. All three interviewed Homeside Users said they were considering buying a new vehicle and would continue using BART. Day Users would not change their commute modes appreciably.
  • There was an average reduction of 31.8 private vehicle miles traveled per day and an increase of 13.3 CarLink miles traveled. Thus, there was a net reduction of 18.5 vehicle miles (on average). Furthermore, CarLink resulted in at least 20 new BART trips each day.
This field test focused on user response versus program optimization. Thus, the preliminary economic analysis posed many questions. To provide a more accurate picture of this program's benefits and costs, CarLink costs should be streamlined, revenues increased, and program benefits quantified (e.g., environmental, social, and hedonic).

Participant Profile Highlights

In general, CarLink members represented a more affluent, highly educated, and mature group than reflected by Bay area census data. Some other CarLink demographic trends include:
  • CarLink participants were predominantly male (67%) and married (69%).
  • CarLink participants were primarily homeowners (81%), and all were employed.
  • Eighty-one percent of participants had an average yearly income of $50,000 or more.
  • Over one third (36.4%) were between 24 and 40 years of age, and 59% were between 41 and 64 years of age.
  • Seventy-five percent of participants held a bachelor's degree or higher level of education. Forty-three percent had a graduate or professional degree.
A more detailed discussion of CarLink behavioral findings, economic viability, and future research are also included in this report. While CarLink only began to judge the practicality of one carsharing model in the U.S., within the context of a limited sample population, it advanced the research understanding of carsharing response, technological limitations, and business potential from which new research efforts might build.