Cars and the Village – a Study in Sharing. A mixed-methods case study into rural carsharing opportunities

Abstract

This thesis examines opportunities for carsharing among rural Dutch households. Carsharing is one of various options to reduce cars, which is the main aim of Dutch sustainable mobility policies. Rural areas show higher car use and ownership, but also fall behind in access to carsharing services. Through a mixed method case study of two village communities, combining interviews with local households, interviews with municipal experts and Likert scale surveys for local drivers, insights have been gained into views and attitudes towards carsharing, the practicality of implementing different carsharing systems and households' car trip routines in rural communities. The results show that carsharing appeals to some rural demographics more than others, and that business-to-consumer carsharing is the most preferred and practical system to implement in villages