Promoting shared mobility through incentives: Review and prospects

The burgeoning field of shared mobility offers a sustainable solution to the challenges of resource inefficiency, traffic congestion, and environmental pollution posed by traditional transportation modes. This paper delves into the strategic use of incentives to influence user behavior and promote the adoption of shared mobility. A comprehensive framework is presented to depict the relationships among stakeholders and the incentives across different market structures. We examine incentives from three dimensions: motivations, forms, and mechanisms, to understand the why, what, and how of implementing incentive strategies. The motivations for implementing incentives are multifaceted, aiming to enhance the attractiveness of shared mobility, improve availability, and optimize resource utilization. The forms of incentives are categorized into monetary and non-monetary types, each with distinct implications for user engagement. The mechanisms of incentives are explored through the characterization of participant behavior and the determination of incentive allocation. Empirical evidence, real-world practices, and implementation challenges are synthesized to provide a critical understanding of incentives in shared mobility. Additionally, potential directions for future research are outlined to guide further exploration in this field. This paper contributes to the development of cost-effective and benefit-maximizing solutions for the shared mobility sector, ultimately supporting its long-term viability and sustainability.