PT Journal
AU Javid, AM
   AL-Shehhi, SMI
   AL-Youqabi, SMH
TI Students' Intentions toward Carpooling in Sohar, Oman: Importance of Various Motivating Factors, Incentives, and Barriers
SO Transactions on Transport Sciences
PY 2025
BP 23
EP 32
VL 16
IS 2
DI 10.5507/tots.2024.024
DE Travel demand management; Carpooling; Travel Behaviour; Traffic Congestion; Mode choice
AB This study explores the carpooling potential among university students considering the various incentives, discounts, motives, and barriers. A questionnaire was designed and conducted with the students of Sohar University, Oman. The analysis of collected 250 samples showed that more than 60% of the students were willing to accept carpooling considering the various benefits and incentives. The ANOVA analysis revealed significant differences in interest in carpooling according to multiple segments of students based on age, marital status, vehicle ownership, driving a car, and study major. Factor analysis yielded four factors of encouraging variables and three factors of discouraging variables. The factors of accessibility, convenience, cost and physical, and incentives are significant predictors of carpooling intentions. Also, the factors of perceived difficulty, freedom, trust, and commitment concerns are significant predictors of intentions. The students' preference for the bus over carpooling negatively affects the intention, whereas, carpooling experience, carpooling for the reduction in traffic congestion, and study major (engineering) positively correlated with carpooling intentions. These findings provide a useful understanding of the significant factors influencing the behavioral intentions of students toward carpooling.
ER