Forty-two per cent of American respondents from a September 2020 survey conducted by mobility company Ridecell have shifted their transportation preferences amid COVID-19, with some expressing an increased interest in car-sharing and car subscription services.
The survey, conducted in the United States, reveals that the desire among consumers to use these services has increased from 5 per cent to 20 per cent, whereas pre-pandemic, 22 per cent of respondents were using either public transport or ride-sharing — and those numbers have since dropped to 9 per cent.
“Car-sharing is a fantastic option, especially while we work to continue to slow the spread of COVID-19 because it allows individuals the freedom of mobility without the concern of sharing close spaces with others,” said Aarjav Trivedi, CEO of Ridecell.
Trivedi’s pitch on car-sharing is that it is a good alternative to the expense and upkeep of owning a vehicle, especially now, as consumers are commuting and traveling less. He also said car-sharing options are more flexible than they used to be, offering consumers hours to months at a time.
In the survey, consumers were also asked which modes of transportation they were most likely to use following the pandemic, and car-sharing ranked higher than public transport, ride-sharing, car rental, carpooling, car subscription, and micro-mobility options.
Furthermore, 58 per cent of respondents who relied on public transportation pre-crisis were interested in accessing a vehicle for the short term, while 57 per cent said they would use this option on a weekly (28 per cent) or monthly (21 per cent) basis. And fifteen per cent said they would use it every day.
For respondents already using shared mobility — ride/car-sharing and micro-mobility — 75 per cent said they were interested in short-term vehicle service, with 64 per cent showing a preference for weekly or monthly use.
“Perhaps more surprising, more than half (54 per cent) of car owners and lessees also wanted the option for short term vehicle use, with 45 per cent saying they would use this option weekly,” said Ridecell in its news release.
More than 1,000 adult respondents across the U.S. were included in the survey.
