Exploring electric moped sharing preferences with integrated choice and latent variable approach

Electric motor scooter (e-moped) sharing, an innovative shared mobility service, has recently attracted attention in urban transport systems. It is challenging to operate the service while Motorcycles and mopeds are prevalent. The study explores individual preferences toward the services using stated preference data collected in Taiwan. An integrated choice and latent variable approach is employed to investigate individuals' preferences related to e-moped sharing attributes along with latent variables. The results show that service attributes such as base-time, pay-per-minute fees, and the walking time to access an available vehicle decrease choice likelihood while returning to a vehicle without additional procedure, and e-mopeds with hedonic brands increase it. The impacts of those latent variables (advocacy for the service, hedonic motivation, and attitudes toward the service) varied in the groups with and without past riding experience, providing insights into the service adoption. The relevant implication is discussed and provided for future research.