The potential of mobility innovations for youth travel in rural areas. The impact of car sharing and mobility as a service on improving daily traveling patterns of youth

Abstract

This thesis researches the potential of introducing new mobility innovations in rural areas. It does this by carrying out a case study in the town of Wanroij, in the Netherlands. It focuses on car sharing and Mobility as a Service as mobility innovations. The thesis has chosen to research a specific target group, the youth, as they often experience a mobility imperative. This thesis shows that they indeed do. The research question that is formulated is: to what extent can car sharing and Mobility as a Service potentially improve the daily travels of youth in rural Wanroij? The thesis approach car sharing and Mobility as a Service as practices and applies the framework of social practice theory. This is valuable in this thesis as it looks beyond behavioral influence and considers all the elements that are involved in a practice. The results show that car sharing and Mobility as a Service are capable of addressing the transport challenges that rural youth face but that there are limitations to these practices.