Factors influencing bike share membership

Conclusions from this Australian study:

Convenience emerged as an important predictor of membership. Policymakers interested in expanding the membership base of bike share programs may benefit from designing bike share to be easily accessible. The distance to the closest docking station was found to be a predictor of membership and this is consistent with previous research. This underscores the importance of planning a bike share system capable of providing the network benefits that provide a compelling proposition to citizens. Targeted expansion of docking stations, particularly around employment precincts and especially for those with large number of employees aged under 35 may provide a significant increase in membership.

The differences in safety perceptions between bike share members and non-members when presented with different levels of infrastructure provision provide insights for bicycle infrastructure planners and those seeking to encourage bikeshare use. Specifically, non-members show lower levels of perceived safety in all bike-riding environments tested in this study. This suggests an expansion of the bicycle infrastructure network, particularly separated bicycle lanes, may be useful in growing bike share membership.

Bike share members recorded significantly higher incomes than other groups. This is influenced, at least in part, by the current position of docking stations, in central Melbourne and Brisbane. Research using Census data shows that inner city residents have higher average incomes that those who reside in outer suburbs in Melbourne and Brisbane. As bike share is often provided under public subsidy, greater focus on how to include a broader participation across the income spectrum is needed.

Finally, the results of this study related to helmet issues are complicated and it is difficult to make clear conclusions. Further research on the impact of mandatory helmet legislation on bike share usage may help inform policy development.

Comments

[Mike]

I wish PG County had put more thought into the locations of their CaBi stations. They have placed most of the stations along major high stress roads (Adelphi and Route 1) instead of along the bicycle routes (trolley trail, NW/NE Branch trail, neighborhood streets). If this helps get bicycle infrastructure on these roads that will be great, but they currently seem positioned for the main purpose of seeing the stations while driving by.

[yeehaw]

You know what makes docking stations closer to where you want to go? Dockless bikes.