Study of Carpool User Behaviors and Route Characteristics in Taiwan

This paper conducts a thorough study on the carpool characteristics in Taiwan. The subjects were 9,924 registered members and 4,176 posted routes retrieved from the nation's largest carpool website. A majority of the members were 25- to 45 year-old males in northern Taiwan. The regular routes were primarily short working trips within 60 minutes and 30 kilometers. The one-time routes presented dual characteristics of short business trips on weekdays and long homecoming trips on Friday and Saturday. Nearly three quarters of the members were not route posters but searchers. Over 73% of the carpool members and route posters were private mode users, indicating that one carpool match would most likely combine two car/motorcycle trips instead of reducing transit rides. Carpool can effectively lessen on-road traffic and is concluded not to compete with but complement public transit. The carpool movement requires sustainable momentum and an integrated program with full policy support.