Nov. 17, 2020—According to a recent survey conducted by Ridecell Inc., a San Francisco-based mobility company, Americans may prefer short-term access to cars over public transport or ridesharing in a post-pandemic world.
With over 1,000 respondents from across the country surveyed in late September, results found that 42 percent of respondents have changed their preferences for transportation with a rising interest in carsharing and car subscription services.
Data from the survey revealed that a desire to use carsharing and car subscription services quadrupled from 5 to 20 percent.
Prior to the onset of COVID-19, 22 percent of respondents used either public transport or ridesharing. Today that number has dropped to 9 percent. But when asked which modes of transportation individuals were most likely to use following the pandemic, carsharing ranked higher than public transport, ridesharing, car rental, carpooling, car subscription, and micromobility options.
More than two-thirds of individuals who relied on public transportation prior to COVID-19 expressed interest in access to short term vehicle usage, with 57 percent saying they would use the option weekly or monthly.
For individuals already using shared mobility options like ridesharing, carsharing, and micromobility, 75 percent expressed interest in short term vehicle services, with 64 percent saying they would use it weekly or monthly. Results also found that 54 percent of car owners and lessees also wanted the option for short term vehicle use, with 45 percent saying they would use this option weekly.
