Leveraging Social Networks to Embed Trust in Rideshare Programs

Traffic congestion, high gas price and inadequate public transportation are major challenges for any country, business or individual. The traditional approach to solving these problems has been to improve public transportation and use greener energy. These approaches require huge investment, research and time, and can only be carried out by governments or businesses. An alternative solution seeks to reduce the number of vehicles on the road based on ridesharing. Nevertheless, ridesharing is not a popular form of public transportation.In this paper, we summarize the results of a rideshare needs assessment survey conducted within the [university] community. The purpose behind this study was to understand commuter travel patterns, their needs and to identify their preferences for private vehicles and public transit for a variety of travel needs. Our results indicate that users are willing to increase participation in ridesharing programs if three core issues are addressed - trust, convenience and incentives.