Investigating the Factors Influencing the Participation in Ride- Sharing: The Case of the Philippines

Abstract

The sharing economy, which leverages information and communication technologies (ICT) for the sharing of assets and services, has made significant inroads in ASEAN countries, including the Philippines, which in 2015 became the first country to create and implement a regulatory framework for ridesharing through transportation network company (TNC) apps like Uber. However, despite its growing practical importance and wide acceptance in the country, there is a gap in the literature which focuses on motivational factors influencing the participation in sharing activities. Therefore, this paper employs a quantitative approach to investigate the people's motivation to engage in ride-sharing in the Philippine setting. The result of an online survey which gathered 215 responses from registered Uber users showed that people's attitude towards ride-sharing activities are positively influenced by some factors such as enjoyment, sustainability, reputation and economic benefits. However, the result also reveals that a positive attitude influenced by reputation and sustainability does not guarantee actual participation in ride-sharing. Moreover, people who have a positive perception towards ride-sharing may find themselves using the service. Further studies and implications on the improvement of ride-sharing services are discussed.