A Bibliometric Analysis of Ridesharing Research: Trends, Influences, and Future Directions

Ridesharing has become an important component of modern urban mobility, with the potential to reduce traffic congestion, lower emissions, and improve transportation efficiency. This bibliometric study systematically examines the academic research landscape on ridesharing, aiming to identify key trends, influential publications, prominent authors, and existing research gaps. Using the Scopus database, we collected and analyzed relevant literature published between 2000 and 2024. The analysis includes descriptive statistics, citation trends, authorship patterns, and thematic exploration of ridesharing research. The findings indicate a significnt growth in research activity, with a geographic focus on Asia, North America, and Europe. Transportation-focused journals are predominant for research dissemination, and leading researchers are affiliated with prominent institutions. The analysis identified several influential papers and highlighted emerging trends, including shared mobility, ride-sourcing, shared autonomous vehicles, machine learning, and travel behavior. This study concludes by outlining future research directions, such as the integration of ridesharing with public transit, its social and economic impacts, ethical implications, sustainability, and the role of emerging technologies in shaping the future of urban mobility.