A GIS-MCDM Method for Ranking Potential Station Locations in the Expansion of Bike-Sharing Systems

Abstract

Bicycle-sharing systems (BSSs) are an effective solution to reduce private car usage in most cities and are an influential factor in encouraging citizens to shift to more sustainable transport modes. In this sense, the location of BSS stations has a critical impact on the system’s efficiency. This study proposed an integrated geographic information system–multi-criteria decision-making (GIS-MCDM) framework that includes the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution (TOPSIS), and spatial data processing in GIS to determine a ranking of potential locations for BSS stations. The results of the proposed GIS-MCDM method can be used for both planning a new BSS or expanding one that is currently under operation. The framework was applied to a case study for expanding GIRA, the BSS of Lisbon, Portugal. In it, location criteria were selected in four categories, including criteria from the literature and extracted from available transaction data; in addition, we also suggested some criteria. The rebalancing operator’s staff were the decision makers in this study via their responses to the AHP questionnaire. The rebalancing staff believed that the main criterion of “city infrastructure” with the two sub-criteria of “population density” and “slope” were the most important. Furthermore, the proximity to the “bike network” with the sub-criterion of “proximity to the current bike stations” had less importance. Each criterion’s weight and inconsistency rate were obtained using the Expert Choice software. The geographic values of each criterion were created utilizing the ArcGIS software, and its network analyst module was employed for applying location techniques. Based on the created suitability map, the city’s center was the main suitable area for establishing new stations. Forty-five new bike stations were identified in those areas and ranked using the TOPSIS technique.