Characterizing the stocks, flows, and carbon impact of dockless sharing bikes in China

The booming dockless sharing bikes (DSBs) in China, as a new sharing economy business model, have attracted increasing public and academic attention after 2015. The impact of DSBs development on the stocks and flows of bikes and the resource and climate consequences of short-lived DSBs, however, remain poorly understood. In this study, we characterized the stocks and flows of both DSBs and regular private bikes in China from 1950 to 2020 and evaluated the carbon cost and benefit of booming DSBs. We found China's bike consumption and stock decreased slightly after a fast development from the late 1970s and then a peak in the mid-1990s, resulting in a relatively low ownership of approximately 0.3 unit per person and 70% of production being exported in recent years. Despite a temporal boost, the unsustainable development of DSBs may affect the bike industry in the long term, because of its skyrocketing market share (from less than 1% to 80%) and short lifetime. Nevertheless, DSBs development still leads to an overall climate gain in China, due to its higher stock efficiency and potentials to substitute more carbon intensive trips. We suggest an urgent need for more empirical studies on the use (e.g., substitution ratio for other transportation models) of DSBs in China and a necessity for better management of DSB development with efforts of all relevant stakeholders

Simulation study on the fleet performance of shared autonomous bicycles

Rethinking cities is now more imperative than ever, as society faces global challenges such as population growth and climate change. The design of cities can not be abstracted from the design of its mobility system, and, therefore, efficient solutions must be found to transport people and goods throughout the city in an ecological way. An autonomous bicycle-sharing system would combine the most relevant benefits of vehicle sharing, electrification, autonomy, and micro-mobility, increasing the efficiency and convenience of bicycle-sharing systems and incentivizing more people to bike and enjoy their cities in an environmentally friendly way. Due to the uniqueness and radical novelty of introducing autonomous driving technology into bicycle-sharing systems and the inherent complexity of these systems, there is a need to quantify the potential impact of autonomy on fleet performance and user experience. This paper presents an ad-hoc agent-based simulator that provides an in-depth understanding of the fleet behavior of autonomous bicycle-sharing systems in realistic scenarios, including a rebalancing system based on demand prediction. In addition, this work describes the impact of different parameters on system efficiency and service quality and quantifies the extent to which an autonomous system would outperform current bicycle-sharing schemes. The obtained results show that with a fleet size three and a half times smaller than a station-based system and eight times smaller than a dockless system, an autonomous system can provide overall improved performance and user experience even with no rebalancing. These findings indicate that the remarkable efficiency of an autonomous bicycle-sharing system could compensate for the additional cost of autonomous bicycles

Investigating users’ perspectives on the development of bike-sharing in Shanghai

High levels of car dependence have caused tremendous challenges for sustainable transport development. Transport planners, therefore, seek ways of replacing motor vehicles, as well as increasing the proportion of active travel. The bike-sharing scheme can be seen as an effective way of doing so, particularly in Asian cities. The aim of this paper is to investigate users’ perspectives on the development of bike-sharing using Shanghai as an example. Semi-structured interviews are used to examine the main factors motivating and impeding the development of the bike-sharing scheme in Shanghai. Our findings show that convenience, saving time and financial savings are the major motivations; whereas problems with bicycles being poorly maintained and abused by users, operational issues, financial issues and an unsuitable business model are the major obstacles. In addition, the findings also suggest that a public and private partnership could be the best option for running a sustainable bike-sharing scheme with clear areas of responsibility. Financial incentives, a bicycle-friendly infrastructure, regular operational management and supportive policies should be prioritised. In order to achieve the targets set by the Shanghai Master Plan 2035, transport planners and policymakers should integrate the bike-sharing scheme within the wider active travel system

Investigating users’ perspectives on the development of bike-sharing in Shanghai

High levels of car dependence have caused tremendous challenges for sustainable transport development. Transport planners, therefore, seek ways of replacing motor vehicles, as well as increasing the proportion of active travel. The bike-sharing scheme can be seen as an effective way of doing so, particularly in Asian cities. The aim of this paper is to investigate users’ perspectives on the development of bike-sharing using Shanghai as an example. Semi-structured interviews are used to examine the main factors motivating and impeding the development of the bike-sharing scheme in Shanghai. Our findings show that convenience, saving time and financial savings are the major motivations; whereas problems with bicycles being poorly maintained and abused by users, operational issues, financial issues and an unsuitable business model are the major obstacles. In addition, the findings also suggest that a public and private partnership could be the best option for running a sustainable bike-sharing scheme with clear areas of responsibility. Financial incentives, a bicycle-friendly infrastructure, regular operational management and supportive policies should be prioritised. In order to achieve the targets set by the Shanghai Master Plan 2035, transport planners and policymakers should integrate the bike-sharing scheme within the wider active travel system

Not all green innovations are created equal : Consumer innovativeness and motivations in the adoption of shared micromobility

The purpose of this thesis is to understand how consumer innovativeness and motivations relate to the decision to adopt green innovations. This thesis examines two forms of green transport innovations, shared e-bikes and e-scooters, which are part of the shared micromobility phenomenon. The penetration of shared micromobility into the market is estimated to increase in the upcoming years, and increasing interest in its use has become evident. However, there are controversies surrounding its impact on society, partly due to how the vehicles are used. This raises questions concerning who the consumers are and what motivates them to use this mode of transport. I employed two cross-sectional surveys to investigate how domain-specific innovativeness and motivations influenced the decision to adopt shared e-bikes and e-scooters. I demonstrate the relevance of the use of two domain-specific innovativeness (transport innovativeness and eco-innovativeness) and four different motivations (instrumental, environmental, hedonic, and social motivations). Specifically, transport innovativeness and eco-innovativeness were positively correlated with decisions to use shared e-bikes and e-scooters. Hedonic motivations had the strongest effects, while social motivations had the weakest, if not insignificant, impact. Environmental motivations were positively significant when other motivations were not considered, but these effects became negative when instrumental and hedonic motivations were taken into account. I also show the differences in these factors between users and non-users, as well as between shared e-bike users and shared e-scooter users. As expected, users had a higher level of transport innovativeness and eco-innovativeness. Users and non-users also differed in their perceptions of the environmental, hedonic, symbolic, and instrumental benefits of shared e-bikes and e-scooters, with users being more sensitive to these benefits. Theoretically, this thesis creates a more nuanced understanding of the diffusion of innovations by showing that products are not limited to only one domain. In addition, it outlines similarities and differences in consumer motivations between two comparable and emergent innovations that are purportedly green. This thesis shows that, although shared e-bikes and e-scooters are promoted similarly, consumer motivations for their adoption can still differ. Of note, this thesis helps to explain why some green innovations could become controversial due to their users’ motivations. Practically, this thesis could help to formulate short- and long-term strategies for shared micromobility providers and policies for transport agencies and city planners. It could also help to understand the environmental impact of shared micromobility and how it could potentially address transport-related environmental problems

Free-Floating Bike Sharing in Jiangsu: Users’ Behaviors and Influencing Factors

In order to explore the factors affecting users’ behaviors in a free-floating bike sharing (FFBS) system in China, a survey was conducted in Jiangsu province, China in 2017, and the travel characteristics of FFBS users were analyzed. A binary logistic model was applied to quantify the impact of various variables regarding residents’ usage preference based on 30401 valid questionnaires. The findings show that (1) FFBS was mainly used for short-distance travel in cities, especially for commuting and schooling, and the time period of travel in FFBS coincided with the rush-hour in urban areas; (2) a higher level of education, a higher daily transportation cost, the convenience of picking up and parking, and the contribution to users’ health could promote the usage of FFBS, while malfunctioning bicycles and limited regulations were major obstacles restricting the development of FFBS; (3) interestingly, people with high-incomes rather than those with low-incomes showed an inclination for FFBS owing to the charge mode. This research provides empirical evidence to facilitate the formulation of urban transportation policies and to improve the management of FFBS for the operators

Sustaining dockless bike-sharing based on business principles

Currently in urban areas, the value of money and fuel is increasing because of urban traffic congestion. As an environmentally sustainable and short-distance travel mode, dockless bike-sharing not only assists in resolving the issue of urban traffic congestion, but additionally assists in minimizing pollution, satisfying the demand of the last mile problem, and improving societal health. Despite the positives that this new transportation mode provides, currently there are few effective measures in place to make the development of dockless bike-sharing providers more sustainable. This study endeavors in establishing a foundation for resolving this problem through developing business models of dockless bike-sharing based on business theory and principles, and utilizing the largest dockless bike-sharing company in China as of November 2018 named Mobike as an example within these business models. The long-term sustainability issues of dockless bike-sharing are identified through various methods including an operational analysis of one of Mobike’s largest divisions located in Beijing, China, and potential solutions to those issues as well as policy implications are presented based on the research and analysis conducted

Shared Mobility in the City of Saint Paul How Dockless Bicycles and E-Scooters Can Promote Equity, Improve Right-of- Way Management, and Foster Connectivity Throughout the City

Capstone paper for the fulfillment of the Master of Public Policy degree.In the fall of 2018, the City of Saint Paul, Minnesota added two new forms of shared mobility to its transportation system: dockless bicycles and electric scooters. These new mobility options have been rapidly growing in popularity across the United States and can provide users with a fun and flexible transportation option. Dockless bicycles and e-scooters have a lower impact on the environment and can help reduce carbon emissions typically generated car driving. Privately owned and operated, mobility vendors provide and manage dockless bicycles and scooters which allow users to locate, pay-for, and unlock a ride all from a smartphone application. Dockless bicycles and scooters are a new form of transportation that many cities have been working to effectively integrate into their existing transportation infrastructures, including the City of Saint Paul. Much like other cities, the City of Saint Paul has a limited understanding of the existing conditions and emerging practices for managing dockless mobility in terms of: safety and equity, utilization and land use, right-of-way management, and how it interacts with other modes of transportation. Review of the existing conditions and academic literature indicate that because shared mobility technology is so new and rapidly developing, there is still much to learn about how to best integrate dockless bicycles and scooters. The City of Saint Paul has taken active steps to adapt ordinances and regulations and internal documents and procedures to address challenges learned during its shared mobility pilot phase in 2018. Additionally, the City obtained trip data from mobility vendors in order to understand how users were commuting throughout the city. For the first time in this report, the data collected from mobility vendors was analyzed using GIS software to identify trends and patterns in ridership among Saint Paul residents and visitors. Review of the existing conditions and data indicate that addressing barriers to equity and determining how to effectively manage the right-of-way are critical components to ensuring the continued success of shared mobility in the City in the future