A comparative study of bike-sharing and e-scooter sharing users and services in a college town during COVID-19

Abstract

Shared micro-mobility services have seen a sharp increase during the last decade only to be hindered by the pandemic. Bike-sharing and e-scooter sharing services are the two main services of shared micro-mobility and are often perceived to be similar. However, they may differ because of different mobility trends, associated with each service, stemming from distinct usage habits, particularly in a campus setting, distinct from major cities. In this regard, there is limited understanding of how bike-sharing and e-scooter sharing services differ or are similar in terms of user characteristics within a campus context. Moreover, the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on shared micro-mobility in campus settings has not been investigated. This study aims to: (a) uncover the users’ perceived barriers and benefits that are associated with each service, (b) determine whether user characteristics and preferences differ between bike-sharing and e-scooter users, (c) evaluate how travel habits and user characteristics can help determine trip purpose of shared micro-mobility services, and (d) detect any change in trip characteristics, namely trip purpose and length, due to COVID-19 for both services. To this end, a survey was conducted between October 2019 and August 2020 in West Lafayette, Indiana, home of Purdue University, gathering 615 responses. Comparative tests were carried out to evaluate the change in trip purpose and length of bike-sharing and e-scooter sharing trips during the pandemic. It was found that commuting trips increased in frequency after COVID-19, while the average trip length during COVID-19 increased for bike-sharing but not for e-scooters. Binary logistic regression results indicate that e-scooter sharing and bike-sharing users hold different characteristics and preferences, which suggests diverse usage patterns. The study findings offer valuable implications for transportation and policy planning in college towns.