ALEXANDRIA, Va.  – Smartphones have revolutionized how we use a variety of products. Can they also affect how we use our vehicles?

The latest NACS Convenience Matters podcast addresses those questions and reviews the findings of a new Fuels Institute research report on the subject.

Smartphones have gone well beyond transforming how people communicate and share moments from their lives on social media—they are transforming how people share things, whether through renting homes, selling goods or even sharing cars.

Program co-hosts Jeff Lenard, NACS vice president of strategic industry initiatives, and Donovan Woods, director of operations for the Fuels Institute, discuss the findings in the podcast, “Shared Travel: Revolution or Evolution?” The program can be downloaded on iTunes by searching for “Convenience Matters. It also is available at nacsonline.com/podcasts.

“The allure to shared travel comes down to one central fact: The average vehicle is used about 5%, on average, each day. Will shared travel disrupt the market—and if so, who will lead this change?” said Lenard.

The Fuels Institute research paper, “Shared Travel: Revolution or Evolution?”, is available for download.

A new Convenience Matters podcast will be released every week, focusing on topics related to convenience stores.