Assessing a priori acceptance of shared dockless e-scooters in Iran

This paper evaluates a priori acceptance of shared dockless e-scooters in Iran using the extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The proposed extended model includes subjective norms, hedonic motivation, and environmental awareness in the acceptance of e-scooters in addition to the original TAM constructs. Also, two open-ended questions were proposed to assess the role of control beliefs. Data were collected from an online survey of 1078 participants. Structural Equation Modeling was used to evaluate the proposed model. Besides the original TAM constructs, subjective norms were found to be the strongest predictor of intention. Environmental awareness was also a significant predictor. Results from open-ended questions revealed that most participants believed using e-scooters instead of motorcycles and private cars on short-distance trips could help the environment, and its positive effects outweigh their disadvantages. On the other hand, the lack of specific rules in their use and safety-related issues are the main barriers.