Effect of environmental awareness on electric bicycle users’ mode choices

Travellers’ environmental awareness can affect their mode choices. The primary objective of this study is to identify the effect of electric bicycle (e-bike) users’ environmental awareness on their mode choice when the use of e-bikes is prohibited in urban areas in China. The data were collected via a questionnaire survey administered at ten locations in Nanjing, China. Using mixed multinomial logit (MMNL) models, we examined the relationship between the e-bike users’ mode choice and their environmental awareness, combined with socioeconomic and demographic characteristics and trip attributes. The results show that the level of environmental awareness, gender, age, education, income, the ownership of car and conventional bike, and trip distance affect e-bike users’ choices significantly. Those with a high level of environmental awareness are more likely to choose zero-emission transport modes. A stratified analysis reveals that the effect of environmental awareness is associated with their original transport mode choice prior to their use of the e-bike. With a high level of environmental awareness, original car users tend to opt for moderate- or zero-emission modes; original bus and metro users incline to choose a zero-emission mode or their original mode; and few original cyclists and walkers favour moderate- or high-emission modes. The results of the current study provide transport authorities with insights to establish sustainable urban transportation management policies and strategies to increase the share of zero- and low-emission transport modes.     

Factors influencing bike share membership: An analysis of Melbourne and Brisbane

The number of bike share programs has increased rapidly in recent years and there are currently over 700 programs in operation globally. Australia’s two bike share programs have been in operation since 2010 and have significantly lower usage rates compared to Europe, North America and China. This study sets out to understand and quantify the factors influencing bike share membership in Australia’s two bike share programs located in Melbourne and Brisbane. An online survey was administered to members of both programs as well as a group with no known association with bike share. A logistic regression model revealed several significant predictors of membership including reactions to mandatory helmet legislation, riding activity over the previous month, and the degree to which convenience motivated private bike riding. In addition, respondents aged 18–34 and having docking station within 250 m of their workplace were found to be statistically significant predictors of bike share membership. Finally, those with relatively high incomes increased the odds of membership. These results provide insight as to the relative influence of various factors impacting on bike share membership in Australia. The findings may assist bike share operators to maximize membership potential and help achieve the primary goal of bike share – to increase the sustainability of the transport system.     

A simulation tool for bicycle sharing systems in multimodal networks

This paper presents a methodology for modelling an urban transport system, integrating public bicycles in a multi-modal network. A bike cost function that reproduces the effect of slopes on cycling speeds is proposed. Also, the effect of traffic levels on the attractiveness of cycling routes is taken into account. The model applies the modal split and network assignment phases in a multimodal network with different classes of users. It has been verified over a test network and then validated by applying it to a real case in the city of Santander in Spain. The results obtained make this model a useful decision-making tool to encourage the use of the public bicycle from a sustainable development point of view.     

Effects of built environment and weather on bike sharing demand: a station level analysis of commercial bike sharing in Toronto

Bike Share Toronto is Canada’s second largest public bike share system. It provides a unique case study as it is one of the few bike share programs located in a relatively cold North American setting, yet operates throughout the entire year. Using year-round historical trip data, this study analyzes the factors affecting Toronto’s bike share ridership. A comprehensive spatial analysis provides meaningful insights on the influences of socio-demographic attributes, land use and built environment, as well as different weather measures on bike share ridership. Empirical models also reveal significant effects of road network configuration (intersection density and spatial dispersion of stations) on bike sharing demands. The effect of bike infrastructure (bike lane, paths etc.) is also found to be crucial in increasing bike sharing demand. Temporal changes in bike share trip making behavior were also investigated using a multilevel framework. The study reveals a significant correlation between temperature, land use and bike share trip activity. The findings of the paper can be translated to guidelines with the aim of increasing bike share activity in urban centers.     

Applying spatial-temporal analysis and retail location theory to public bikes site selection in Taipei

In order to turn Taipei into a sustainable, green metropolis, in 2009, the Department of Transportation of Taipei City Government launched a public bike rental system (YouBike) to meet people’s daily commute and/or leisure needs. Given that users may return bikes to sites differing from their starting locations, rental stations frequently lack bikes or bike racks. This study sought to identify lacking-bike and/or lacking-bike rack hot spots utilizing spatial-temporal analysis. In addition, it applied retail location theory to determine site selection of further rental stations. Historical data indicated that shortage of bikes was much more severe than shortage of bike racks in the YouBike public bike system and lacking-bike and lacking-bike rack hot spots were clustered significantly. The study demonstrated that spatial-temporal analysis can be used to effectively identify rental stations’ spatial patterns, determine the most suitable locations for further installation of rental stations, help to provide public bike users with a more effective rental system, and greatly assist public bikes’ operational management and decision-making in Taiwan.     

Synopsis of bicycle demand in the City of Toronto: Investigating the effects of perception,consciousness and comfortability on the purpose of biking and bike ownership

This paper provides an empirical basis for the evaluation of policies and programs that can increase the usage of bikes for different purposes as well as bike ownership. It uses an integrated econometric model of latent variable connecting multiple discrete choices. Empirical models are estimated by using a bicycle demand survey conducted in the City of Toronto in 2009. Empirical investigations reveal that latent perceptions of ‘bikeability’ and ‘safety consciousness’ directly influence the choice of biking. It is also found that the choice of the level of bike ownership (number of bikes) is directly influenced by latent ‘comfortability of biking’. The number of bikes owned moreover has a strong influence on the choices of biking for different purposes. It is clear that bike users in the City of Toronto are highly safety conscious. Increasing on-street and separate bike lanes proved to have the maximum effects on attracting more people to biking by increasing the perception of bikeability in the city, comfortability of biking in the city and increasing bike users’ sense of safety. In terms of individuals’ characteristics, older males are found to be the most conformable and younger females are the least comfortable group of cyclists in Toronto.     

Cycling to work in 90 large American cities: new evidence on the role of bike paths and lanes

This article analyzes the variation in bike commuting in large American cities, with a focus on assessing the influence of bike paths and lanes, which have been the main approach to increasing cycling in the USA. To examine the role of cycling facilities, we used a newly assembled dataset on the length of bike lanes and paths in 2008 collected directly from 90 of the 100 largest U.S. cities. Pearson’s correlation, bivariate quartile analysis, and two different types of regressions were used to measure the relationship between cycling levels and bikeways, as well as other explanatory and control variables. Ordinary Least Squares and Binary Logit Proportions regressions confirm that cities with a greater supply of bike paths and lanes have significantly higher bike commute rates—even when controlling for land use, climate, socioeconomic factors, gasoline prices, public transport supply, and cycling safety. Standard tests indicate that the models are a good fit, with R ² ranging between 0.60 and 0.65. Computed coefficients have the expected signs for all variables in the various regression models, but not all are statistically significant. Estimated elasticities indicate that both off-street paths and on-street lanes have a similar positive association with bike commute rates in U.S. cities. Our results are consistent with previous research on the importance of separate cycling facilities and provide additional information about the potentially different role of paths vs. lanes. Our analysis also revealed that cities with safer cycling, lower auto ownership, more students, less sprawl, and higher gasoline prices had more cycling to work. By comparison, annual precipitation, the number of cold and hot days, and public transport supply were not statistically significant predictors of bike commuting in large cities.     

Restricted car-use and perceived accessibility

In order to plan for, and achieve, a sustainable and accessible transport system, research and policies alike recognize a need to implement and enhance alternative transport options in favor of the private car. Moreover, these sustainable alternatives need to offer sufficient levels of accessibility regardless of where people live or work. We present and discuss an approach for capturing and evaluating perceived accessibility, with the ability to differentiate between individuals. Levels of perceived accessibility are compared before and after a fictive car use restriction, and between residential areas, using data from 2711 residents of Malmö, Sweden. A main conclusion is that levels of perceived accessibility become significantly lower for car users when they are limited in their options for daily travel. The difference is more substantive for frequent car users, who already travel less by sustainable modes today. There are also significant differences in levels of perceived accessibility in the restricted scenario, depending on where individuals live. These novel findings may not come as a surprise, but they emphasize the importance of including and analyzing perceptions of car users when designing accessible and sustainable transport systems. The paper ends with a discussion on how to facilitate the transition from current transport systems to an inclusive and accessible system.     

Short-term planning and policy interventions to promote cycling in urban centers: Findings from a commute mode choice analysis in Barcelona,Spain

BackgroundCycling for transportation has become an increasingly important component of strategies to address public health, climate change, and air quality concerns in urban centers. Within this context, planners and policy makers would benefit from an improved understanding of available interventions and their relative effectiveness for cycling promotion. We examined predictors of bicycle commuting that are relevant to planning and policy intervention, particularly those amenable to short- and medium-term action.MethodsWe estimated a travel mode choice model using data from a survey of 765 commuters who live and work within the municipality of Barcelona. We considered how the decision to commute by bicycle was associated with cycling infrastructure, bike share availability, travel demand incentives, and other environmental attributes (e.g., public transport availability). Self-reported and objective (GIS-based) measures were compared. Point elasticities and marginal effects were calculated to assess the relative explanatory power of the independent variables considered.ResultsWhile both self-reported and objective measures of access to cycling infrastructure were associated with bicycle commuting, self-reported measures had stronger associations. Bicycle commuting had positive associations with access to bike share stations but inverse associations with access to public transport stops. Point elasticities suggested that bicycle commuting has a mild negative correlation with public transport availability (−0.136), bike share availability is more important at the work location (0.077) than at home (0.034), and bicycle lane presence has a relatively small association with bicycle commuting (0.039). Marginal effects suggested that provision of an employer-based incentive not to commute by private vehicle would be associated with an 11.3% decrease in the probability of commuting by bicycle, likely reflecting the typical emphasis of such incentives on public transport.ConclusionsThe results provide evidence of modal competition between cycling and public transport, through the presence of public transport stops and the provision of public transport-oriented travel demand incentives. Education and awareness campaigns that influence perceptions of cycling infrastructure availability, travel demand incentives that encourage cycling, and policies that integrate public transport and cycling may be promising and cost-effective strategies to promote cycling in the short to medium term.     

Using the sustainable modified TAM and TPB to analyze the effects of perceived green value on loyalty to a public bike system

This article explores the effects of perceived green value, perceived green usefulness, perceived pleasure to use, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control on green loyalty to a public bike system. The mediators between perceived green value and green loyalty and a moderator of general attitude toward protecting the natural environment are also discussed. The aim of this research was to understand how to establish green loyalty via the other dimensions based on the sustainable modified technology acceptance model (modified TAM), the theory of planned behavior (TPB), and a moderator. The findings reveal that perceived pleasure to use and subjective norms have the strongest power to influence loyalty for both users and non-users. The implications of this finding are that fun in people’s lives has a strong influence on sustainable continuous use of public bikes, and that subjective norms are more effective for non-users. In addition, environmental attitude has stronger moderating effects for non-users than for users on perceived green usefulness, perceived pleasure and subjective norms. Therefore, governmental policies should promote the attitude of protecting the natural environment, perceptions of pleasure, and subjective norms so as to increase green loyalty to public bike-sharing.     

Bicycling renaissance in North America? An update and re-appraisal of cycling trends and policies

This paper reviews trends in cycling levels, safety, and policies in Canada and the USA over the past two decades. We analyze aggregate data for the two countries as well as city-specific case study data for nine large cities (Chicago, Minneapolis, Montréal, New York, Portland, San Francisco, Toronto, Vancouver, and Washington). Cycling levels have increased in both the USA and Canada, while cyclist fatalities have fallen. There is much spatial variation and socioeconomic inequality in cycling rates. The bike share of work commuters is more than twice as high in Canada as in the USA, and is higher in the western parts of both countries. Cycling is concentrated in central cities, especially near universities and in gentrified neighborhoods near the city center. Almost all the growth in cycling in the USA has been among men between 25-64 years old, while cycling rates have remained steady among women and fallen sharply for children. Cycling rates have risen much faster in the nine case study cities than in their countries as a whole, at least doubling in all the cities since 1990. They have implemented a wide range of infrastructure and programs to promote cycling and increase cycling safety: expanded and improved bike lanes and paths, traffic calming, parking, bike-transit integration, bike sharing, training programs, and promotional events. We describe the specific accomplishments of the nine case study cities, focusing on each city’s innovations and lessons for other cities trying to increase cycling. Portland’s comprehensive package of cycling policies has succeeded in raising cycling levels 6-fold and provides an example that other North American cities can follow.     

Accommodating preference heterogeneity in commuting mode choice: an empirical investigation in Shaoxing,China

A latent class model is developed to accommodate preference heterogeneity across commuters with respect to their mode choice between electric bike, private car, and public bus within the context of China. A three-segment solution – ‘electric bike individuals’, ‘private car addicts’, and ‘public bus enthusiasts’ – is identified, each characterized by heterogeneous preferences regarding specific mode attributes and unique socio-demographic profile. The choice model confirms the determinative effects of perceived alternative attributes on commuting mode choice, while the traditionally used objective attributes – travel time and cost – are found to have relatively small influences. The membership model provides solid explanations for these segment-specific preferences. This study provides a better understanding of the nature of mode choice behavior, which can be useful for strategies tailored to a specific segment in order to promote the use of sustainable transport modes.     

Vertical separation as means to establish interoperability in road tolling in Europe

As more European roads become tolled by various means, an increasing share of road users become subject to more than one tolling scheme in their regular driving. This can be especially burdensome for long distance hauliers, who may pass several countries and tolled motorway systems during the course of 1 day. For this reason, a range of projects have been initiated attempting to increase the level of interoperability between tolling systems, many of which with only limited success. By analyzing current incentives, costs and benefits for toll operators and road users, we conclude firstly that the current level of interoperability is likely to be lower than socially optimal, and secondly that a direct regulation making the provision of interoperability mandatory is likely to be in excess of what is socially optimal. We argue that vertically separating the monopolistic toll operators could be a cost-efficient way to achieve a socially optimal level of interoperability as a equilibrium market outcome.     

Costs and benefits of a bicycle helmet law for Germany

This study presents a cost–benefit analysis of a law requiring cyclists to wear a helmet when riding a bicycle in Germany. The cost benefit-analysis takes into account the benefit of increased security when cyclists wear a helmet or use a transport mode that is less risky than cycling. The analysis also considers the cost of purchasing helmets, reduced fitness when cycling is replaced by a motorized transport mode, the discomfort of wearing helmets and environmental externalities. The benefits of a helmet law are estimated at about 0.7 of the costs. A bicycle helmet law for Germany is found to be a waste of resources.     

Metro commuters’ satisfaction in multi-type access and egress transferring groups

This paper considers both the access and egress stages as an entire process to analyze the satisfaction levels of commuters with metro commuter journeys. Based on a survey in Nanjing, China, seven intermodal travel groups are employed as targets for this analysis. The groups include Walk–Metro–Walk, Walk–Metro–Bus, Bike–Metro–Walk, Bike–Metro–Bus, Bus–Metro–Walk, Bus–Metro–Bus and Car–Metro–Walk, which are named according to the modes of transportation that are employed for access and egress trips. Binary logit models are developed for each group to identify the main factors of satisfaction level. The results show that access and egress stages serve important but different roles in the seven groups. Facility service qualities in two stages are the primary factors that affect overall satisfaction. The groups with same access or egress modes have significantly different core factors. Access by bike and bike–metro–transit users are concerned with bike parking safety, whereas bike–metro–walk users value parking spaces near metro stations. With two transfers between bus and metro, transit–metro–transit users indicate that the weak point in the access stage is the crowded spaces on buses. However, transit–metro–walk users value bus on-time performance, which is also valued by groups with metro–bus egress transfers. For egress by walking, commuters that use motorized modes for access are concerned with the egress walking environment, whereas users of non-motorized access modes are more concerned with egress walking spaces. The findings of this study are helpful for policy developments than can improve public satisfaction with commutes by urban metro.     

Impacts of a multimodal mobility service on travel behavior and preferences: user insights from Munich’s first Mobility Station

The City of Munich, in cooperation with the local public transport provider MVG, is testing a pilot project of a “Mobility Station”, which is a multimodal mobility hub connecting public transport (PT) and new shared mobility services. The project’s goal is to provide sustainable mobility options that allow citizens to be mobile without owning a car. To evaluate the acceptance of the Mobility Station, as well as short and long term effects on mobility behavior, we developed an online user survey in close cooperation with the stakeholders and experts in the field of shared mobility. The results provide insights on the awareness and perception of the Mobility Station among users, their mobility patterns, current degree of multimodality, as well as actual and potential changes on mobility behavior and travel preferences due to the multimodal mobility service. Most users are young, male, and highly educated individuals with access to multiple mobility options. PT plays a central role for daily mobility together with the services they were identified to be customers of. The high share of users that use different mobility services at least once a month indicates some degree of multimodality. Actual and potential changes in mobility behavior towards multimodality were revealed. Some users declared to use other mobility services more often. They appreciate the availability of different mobility options and show interest in other services and intermodal connections indicating that there is still potential to increase multimodal behavior.     

The influence of individuals’ environmental attitudes and urban design features on their travel patterns in sustainable neighborhoods in the UK

This paper explores the influence of individuals’ environmental attitudes and urban design features on travel behavior, including mode choice. It uses data from residents of 13 new neighborhood UK developments designed to support sustainable travel. It is found that almost all respondents were concerned about environmental issues, but their views did not necessarily ‘match’ their travel behavior. Individuals’ environmental concerns only had a strong relationship with walking within and near their neighborhood, but not with cycling or public transport use. Residents’ car availability reduced public transport trips, walking and cycling. The influence of urban design features on travel behaviors was mixed, higher incidences of walking in denser, mixed and more permeable developments were not found and nor did residents own fewer cars than the population as a whole. Residents did, however, make more sustainable commuting trips than the population in general. Sustainable modes of travel were related to urban design features including secured bike storage, high connectivity of the neighborhoods to the nearby area, natural surveillance, high quality public realm and traffic calming. Likewise the provision of facilities within and nearby the development encouraged high levels of walking.     

Parking demand and responsiveness to supply,pricing and location in the Sydney central business district

This paper investigates the role of parking pricing and supply by time of day in whether to drive and park in the central business district (CBD). A stated preference survey of car drivers and public transport users was undertaken at a number of parking locations, public transit interchanges, and shopping centres in Sydney CBD during 1998. In the context of a current trip to the CBD, respondents were asked to consider six alternatives, including three parking locations in the CBD, park outside of the CBD with public transport connection to the CBD, switch to public transport, or forego that trip to the CBD. The three parking locations were defined by hours of operation, a tariff schedule, and access time to the final destination from the parking station. Data from the survey were then used to estimate a nested logit model of mode and parking choices, which was then used to simulate the impacts of supply pricing scenarios on CBD parking share. The change in CBD parking share attributable to supply by time of day is less than 3%, compared to 97% attributable to parking prices.     

Engineering condition assessment of cycling infrastructure: Cyclists’ perceptions of satisfaction and comfort

The UK National Cycle Network comprises 23,660 km of cycling and walking paths of which a significant percentage is dedicated off-road infrastructure. This represents a significant civil engineering infrastructure asset that currently contributes to the provision of a sustainable transport mode option nationwide. Commuting and recreational cyclists have observed the often hazardous conditions on these paths. There are various simple measures that could be taken to improve the maintenance of such off-road paths. Reliance on walk-over surveys (direct visual inspection) and path users notifying the local authority may not be tackling maintenance in a resource efficient manner. The proposed inspection method includes the use of an instrumented bicycle to examine cycle path condition through user perception of satisfaction and quality. A questionnaire was conducted to identify the attributes of off-road cycling infrastructure people find most important in relation to their personal satisfaction. An exploratory factor analysis was undertaken on perception study data to elucidate the determination of the variables associated with perceived user satisfaction. The study has shown that people find maintenance issues to be of high importance, especially surface issues. From exploratory factor analysis of results, satisfaction has been found to load with comfort and safety. Field testing was then conducted using subjective user opinions and objective vibration data. These results were then used to assist the creation of dedicated user perception based surface condition rating-scales.