Segmentation of Ride-Sharing Consumers: The case of BlaBlaCar Users From the Republic of Serbia

Abstract

Shared mobility can be defined as transportation services and systems that allow individuals to access and use vehicles or means of transportation on a shared basis rather than owning them. Forms of shared mobility encompass ride-sharing, carpooling, bike-sharing, car-sharing, and others. The question that tackles practitioners in the field is how users of these services can be segmented. Therefore, this study aims to segment Serbian users of a ride-sharing platform, BlaBlaCar. The data utilised in the paper was collected through an empirical study conducted from May to December 2023. Employing the k-means clustering algorithm, the resulting segments provide insights into the differences in behaviour, experience, and satisfaction with the BlaBlaCar platform and service among users. This research serves as a potential catalyst for further exploration of segmentation analysis in the fields of sharing economy and shared mobility.