What are the factors affecting the adoption and use of electric scooter sharing systems from the end user?s perspective?

Since their introduction in 2017, Electric Scooter Sharing systems (ESSs) are shown to provide numerous benefits for both individuals and society, including convenient green mobility particularly over short to medium dis-tances, increased access to other modes of transportation, and lower cost of travel. Nevertheless, several barriers still hinder the widespread acceptance of ESSs which can be categorized according to their level of impact as macro (infrastructure), meso (community), and micro (individual/perceptions). The acceptance of ESSs as a critical factor at an individual level seems to be the first obstacle to their widespread use. Previous studies have proposed strategies to encourage the use of ESSs, but little information is available concerning how end-users perceive this innovative technology. In this regard, a comprehensive conceptual framework is developed based on the extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) that incorporates system characteristics, social influence, and individual acceptance of the ESSs to assess individuals' intentions. The Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Model framework is used to analyze the conceptual model and 22 hypotheses. An online survey with 560 participants is used. The findings indicate that perceived usefulness, trust, and subjective norms are the most important factors determining the willingness to use ESSs. According to our analysis, the conceptual model provides an effective theoretical framework for identifying factors influencing individuals' acceptance of ESSs, enabling the identification of appropriate policies to improve ESSs operations. Accordingly, ESSs inte-gration into a comprehensive and user-friendly platform, accessibility planning, favorable depiction of ESSs and their advantages in media advertisements, and publicity campaigns to promote e-scooters as a sustainable mode of transportation are the most important policies to attract attention to e-scooters.