IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/elcore/v22y2022i4d10.1007_s10660-020-09443-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Exploring side effects of ridesharing services in urban China: role of pollution–averting behavior

Author

Listed:
  • Wei Chen

    (Renmin University of China)

  • Jian Chen

    (Ohio State University)

  • Guopeng Yin

    (Risk Management Foundation of the Harvard Medical Institution (CRICO))

Abstract

Ridesharing has become popular over the last decade, bringing significant changes to residents’ travel patterns and city traffic. Relevant to the growth and impact of ridesharing activities in populous urban areas are the side effects, such as air pollution and traffic congestion. Despite a number of studies on these side effects, few have focused on their underlying causes and explained the behavioral incentive. Drawing on the theory of averting behavior, this paper investigates the ridesharing choices of individuals who face but would prefer to avoid ambient air pollution. Such air pollution–averting behavior tends to increase the demand for ridesharing services, which further results in more motorized traffic and pollutant emissions. Utilizing trip records from DiDi company and data on air pollutants in Haikou, China, we find that an additional 10 μg/m3 of PM2.5 leads to an increase of 2.6% in the count of DiDi trip orders. Results also show that traffic congestion increases due to elevated DiDi usage and the effect varies with time. This could further worsen the air quality and bring other potential side effects. These empirical results offer unique insights into the impact of air pollution on ridesharing and traffic from the perspective of individual behavioral motivation.

Suggested Citation

  • Wei Chen & Jian Chen & Guopeng Yin, 2022. "Exploring side effects of ridesharing services in urban China: role of pollution–averting behavior," Electronic Commerce Research, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 1007-1034, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:elcore:v:22:y:2022:i:4:d:10.1007_s10660-020-09443-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s10660-020-09443-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10660-020-09443-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10660-020-09443-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gerking, Shelby & Stanley, Linda R, 1986. "An Economic Analysis of Air Pollution and Health: The Case of St. Louis," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 68(1), pages 115-121, February.
    2. Timothy J. Bartik, 2008. "Evaluating the Benefits of Non-marginal Reductions in Pollution Using Information on Defensive Expenditures," Book chapters authored by Upjohn Institute researchers, in: Joseph Herriges & Catherine L. Kling (ed.),Revealed Preference Approaches to Environmental Valuation, volume 0, pages 459-475, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.
    3. Bresnahan Brian W. & Dickie Mark, 1995. "Averting Behavior and Policy Evaluation," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 378-392, November.
    4. Pier Mannuccio Mannucci & Massimo Franchini, 2017. "Health Effects of Ambient Air Pollution in Developing Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-8, September.
    5. Li, Mengyao & Ferreira, Susana, 2015. "The Impact of Haze on People’s Averting Behavior: Evidence From Online Shopping in China," 2015 Annual Meeting, January 31-February 3, 2015, Atlanta, Georgia 196889, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    6. Kenneth Y. Chay & Michael Greenstone, 2003. "The Impact of Air Pollution on Infant Mortality: Evidence from Geographic Variation in Pollution Shocks Induced by a Recession," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 118(3), pages 1121-1167.
    7. Matthew Neidell, 2009. "Information, Avoidance Behavior, and Health: The Effect of Ozone on Asthma Hospitalizations," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 44(2).
    8. Glenn C. Blomquist, 2004. "Self-Protection and Averting Behavior, Values of Statistical Lives, and Benefit Cost Analysis of Environmental Policy," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 2(1), pages 89-110, March.
    9. Wu, Tian & Shen, Qu & Xu, Ming & Peng, Tianduo & Ou, Xunmin, 2018. "Development and application of an energy use and CO2 emissions reduction evaluation model for China's online car hailing services," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 298-307.
    10. Yash Babar & Gordon Burtch, 2020. "Examining the Heterogeneous Impact of Ride-Hailing Services on Public Transit Use," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 31(3), pages 820-834, September.
    11. Sun, Cong & Kahn, Matthew E. & Zheng, Siqi, 2017. "Self-protection investment exacerbates air pollution exposure inequality in urban China," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 468-474.
    12. Alan Jenn, 2020. "Emissions benefits of electric vehicles in Uber and Lyft ride-hailing services," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 5(7), pages 520-525, July.
    13. Tertoolen, Gerard & van Kreveld, Dik & Verstraten, Ben, 1998. "Psychological resistance against attempts to reduce private car use," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 171-181, April.
    14. Nan Zhong & Jing Cao & Yuzhu Wang, 2017. "Traffic Congestion, Ambient Air Pollution, and Health: Evidence from Driving Restrictions in Beijing," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 4(3), pages 821-856.
    15. Kerry Smith, V. & Desvousges, William H., 1986. "Averting behavior: Does it exist?," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 20(3), pages 291-296.
    16. Yuanyuan Zhang & Yuming Zhang, 2018. "Exploring the Relationship between Ridesharing and Public Transit Use in the United States," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-23, August.
    17. Sutherland, Will & Jarrahi, Mohammad Hossein, 2018. "The sharing economy and digital platforms: A review and research agenda," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 328-341.
    18. Williams, Austin M., 2019. "Understanding the micro-determinants of defensive behaviors against pollution," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 42-51.
    19. Zhang, Junjie & Mu, Quan, 2018. "Air pollution and defensive expenditures: Evidence from particulate-filtering facemasks," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 517-536.
    20. V. K. Smith, 1996. "Estimating Economic Values for Nature," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 734.
    21. Zhuanlan Sun & Demi Zhu, 2019. "Exposure to outdoor air pollution and its human health outcomes: A scoping review," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(5), pages 1-18, May.
    22. Juho Hamari & Mimmi Sjöklint & Antti Ukkonen, 2016. "The sharing economy: Why people participate in collaborative consumption," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 67(9), pages 2047-2059, September.
    23. Tong Liu & Guojun He & Alexis Lau, 2018. "Avoidance behavior against air pollution: evidence from online search indices for anti-PM2.5 masks and air filters in Chinese cities," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 20(2), pages 325-363, April.
    24. Janke, Katharina, 2014. "Air pollution, avoidance behaviour and children's respiratory health: Evidence from England," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 23-42.
    25. Courant, Paul N. & Porter, Richard C., 1981. "Averting expenditure and the cost of pollution," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 8(4), pages 321-329, December.
    26. J. Lelieveld & J. S. Evans & M. Fnais & D. Giannadaki & A. Pozzer, 2015. "The contribution of outdoor air pollution sources to premature mortality on a global scale," Nature, Nature, vol. 525(7569), pages 367-371, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wang, Zhenxuan & Zhang, Junjie, 2023. "The value of information disclosure: Evidence from mask consumption in China," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    2. He, Xiaobo & Luo, Zijun & Zhang, Junjie, 2022. "The impact of air pollution on movie theater admissions," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    3. Marta Suárez-Varela & Ariel Dinar, 2020. "The Role of Curtailment Versus Efficiency on Spillovers Among Pro-Environmental Behaviors: Evidence from Two Towns in Granada, Spain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-24, January.
    4. Konishi, Yoshifumi & Adachi, Kenji, 2011. "A framework for estimating willingness-to-pay to avoid endogenous environmental risks," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 130-154, January.
    5. Tong Liu & Guojun He & Alexis Lau, 2018. "Avoidance behavior against air pollution: evidence from online search indices for anti-PM2.5 masks and air filters in Chinese cities," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 20(2), pages 325-363, April.
    6. repec:gii:giihei:ciesrp:cies_rp_27 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Cropper, Maureen L & Oates, Wallace E, 1992. "Environmental Economics: A Survey," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 30(2), pages 675-740, June.
    8. Chiara Ravetti & Yana Popp Jin & Mu Quan & Zhang Shiqiu & Timothy Swanson, 2014. "Air pollution in Urban Beijing: The role of Government-controlled information," CIES Research Paper series 27-2014, Centre for International Environmental Studies, The Graduate Institute.
    9. Bruno Lanz, 2015. "Avertive expenditures, endogenous quality perception, and the demand for public goods: An instrumental variable approach," CIES Research Paper series 36-2015, Centre for International Environmental Studies, The Graduate Institute.
    10. Olivier Deschênes & Michael Greenstone & Joseph S. Shapiro, 2017. "Defensive Investments and the Demand for Air Quality: Evidence from the NOx Budget Program," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 107(10), pages 2958-2989, October.
    11. Sun, Cong & Kahn, Matthew E. & Zheng, Siqi, 2017. "Self-protection investment exacerbates air pollution exposure inequality in urban China," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 468-474.
    12. Liao, Liping & Du, Minzhe & Chen, Zhongfei, 2021. "Air pollution, health care use and medical costs: Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    13. Antoci, Angelo & Borghesi, Simone & Galeotti, Marcello & Sodini, Mauro, 2021. "Living in an uncertain world: Environment substitution, local and global indeterminacy," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    14. Jason F. Shogren & Tommy Stamland, 2005. "Self-Protection and Value of Statistical Life Estimation," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 81(1).
    15. Zhang, Junjie & Mu, Quan, 2018. "Air pollution and defensive expenditures: Evidence from particulate-filtering facemasks," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 517-536.
    16. Chen, Xiaohong & Zhao, Jinhua & Zhou, Li, 2024. "Knowledge protects against pollution: The health effects of the cadmium rice event in China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    17. Cheung, Chun Wai & He, Guojun & Pan, Yuhang, 2020. "Mitigating the air pollution effect? The remarkable decline in the pollution-mortality relationship in Hong Kong," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    18. Xin Zhang & Xun Zhang & Yuehua Liu & Xintong Zhao & Xi Chen, 2023. "The morbidity costs of air pollution through the Lens of Health Spending in China," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 36(3), pages 1269-1292, July.
    19. Chen, Shuo & Li, Yiran & Shi, Guang & Zhu, Zhitao, 2021. "Gone with the wind? Emissions of neighboring coal-fired power plants and local public health in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    20. He, Guojun & Liu, Tong & Zhou, Maigeng, 2020. "Straw burning, PM2.5, and death: Evidence from China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    21. repec:gii:ciesrp:cies_rp_36rev is not listed on IDEAS
    22. Lanz, Bruno & Provins, Allan, 2017. "Using averting expenditures to estimate the demand for public goods: Combining objective and perceived quality," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 20-35.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:elcore:v:22:y:2022:i:4:d:10.1007_s10660-020-09443-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.