Engagement towards car-sharing use in Budapest: from fears to benefits

Car-sharing has the potential to alleviate urban transport problems, yet its modal share remains relatively low. Increasing usage requires a clear understanding of key motivations and barriers. In this study, we analysed a city-level online survey of licensed adult residents (N=836) conducted in Budapest in October–November 2024, weighted to be representative by gender, age, and education. Our main research question was which factors are associated with different levels of car-sharing engagement, especially differences between potential, trial, and active users.. These engagement groups were compared by using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests, and then a multivariate analysis was conducted. Looking at the socio-demographic factors, the engagement is higher among younger and higher-educated respondents, those with higher incomes, and especially those without regular access to a private car. However, when controlling for these variables, only gender and age correlate significantly. Furthermore, we examined different dimensions of perceptions about car-sharing, and we found that while fear and environmental benefits are negatively associated with active-user status, while perceived personal benefits are positively associated with it. These findings can inform operators and policymakers in designing measures that foster both adoption and frequent use.