Modeling factors affecting utility to use internet taxi under Covid-19

Given the continuity of Covid-19, the urban transportation system has undergone remarkable changes. Besides, increased risks related to crowded places together with social distancing measures in public and shared transportation probably affect the usual choices of vehicles by passengers. In the present article, by using questionnaire design and online questionnaire in Tehran, attempts have been made to estimate the use of internet taxis by people during the pandemic. To this end, in order to specify the factors affecting the use of internet taxis, ordered and dual logit models were established using 233 data obtained from online inquiries and based on the amount of use and changes in using them before and after Covid-19. The results indicate that Covid-19 pandemic has had a negative effect on the use of internet taxis. Increasing the petrol prices and the lack of parking places at the destination have positively encouraged the use of internet taxis. Moreover, people who own a car use internet taxi less than those who do not. The number of these people not using internet taxis has been also reduced after the pandemic.