Modelling the effect of different pricing schemes on free-floating carsharing travel demand: a test case for Zurich, Switzerland

Fundamental changes are continuing in the carsharing industry and the rapid diffusion of free-floating carsharing is one of them. The increased size of the operators and the more frequent occurrence of direct competition among them will likely make carsharing pricing a more important issue. The problem of how carsharing demand varies with different pricing strategies is the subject of this paper. An urban-scale and activity-based state-of-the-art multi-agent modelling framework was employed to evaluate alternative pricing strategies. Based on this analysis, findings suggest that pricing strategies may induce structural changes in the spatial and journey-purpose profiles of carsharing usage, and, in addition, impact aggregate demand levels and how they are distributed diurnally. The metropolitan area of Zurich, Switzerland was used as case study.