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Is tech-enhanced bikeshare a substitute or complement for public transit?

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  • Martin, Rebecca
  • Xu, Yilan

Abstract

Technology-enhanced bikeshare features a dockless system with GPS-tracked electric bikes and a mobile app. As an additional transportation mode, it offers users greater accessibility and more flexibility compared to traditional bikeshare. This paper examines the causal impact of a tech-enhanced bikeshare program on public transit ridership, using evidence from a mid-sized metropolitan area in the Midwest of the United States. We use a difference-in-differences identification, exploring the exogenous hourly variation in precipitation and the fact that bicycle usage is limited when precipitation occurs. We find that the initial pedal bicycle fleet with a dockless system increased bus ridership by 1% and the subsequent upgrades to electric bikes further increased bus ridership by an additional 1.1%. The increased bus ridership occurred where and when the travel demand arose, providing suggestive evidence of bikeshare trips solving the first-/last-mile problem. The increased bus ridership occurred mostly in block groups with a lower median household income, a younger population, lower vehicle ownership rate, and lower homeownership rate.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin, Rebecca & Xu, Yilan, 2022. "Is tech-enhanced bikeshare a substitute or complement for public transit?," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 63-78.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:transa:v:155:y:2022:i:c:p:63-78
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tra.2021.11.007
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    Cited by:

    1. Wang, Xize & Renne, John L., 2023. "Socioeconomics of Urban Travel in the U.S.: Evidence from the 2017 NHTS," SocArXiv cdw2y, Center for Open Science.
    2. Weschke, Jan, 2023. "Scooting when the metro arrives — Estimating the impact of public transport stations on shared e-scooter demand," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    3. Cheng, Long & Huang, Jie & Jin, Tanhua & Chen, Wendong & Li, Aoyong & Witlox, Frank, 2023. "Comparison of station-based and free-floating bikeshare systems as feeder modes to the metro," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    4. Chalermpong, Saksith & Ratanawaraha, Apiwat & Anuchitchanchai, Ornicha, 2023. "Motorcycle taxis' varying degrees of complementarity and substitution with public transit in Bangkok," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    5. Fan, Zhufeng & Harper, Corey D., 2024. "Taking a multimodal approach to equitable bike share station siting," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    6. Xize Wang & John L. Renne, 2023. "Socioeconomics of Urban Travel in the U.S.: Evidence from the 2017 NHTS," Papers 2303.04812, arXiv.org.
    7. Fitzová, Hana & Kališ, Richard & Pařil, Vilém & Fila, Milan, 2024. "Entry and competition in the European bike-sharing industry," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 100-107.

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