Assessing the Impact of Public Transportation, Bicycle Infrastructure, and Land Use Parameters on a Small-Scale Bike-Sharing System: A Case Study of Izmir, Türkiye

Abstract

Many cities in the world have deployed bike-sharing systems (BSS) to promote the use of bicycles. Previous studies analyzed the factors affecting the BSS usage, but these studies were predominantly conducted in cities that already possess well-established bike-sharing systems. However, there is a lack of comprehensive studies focusing on the factors influencing bike usage in cities where 1) bicycle culture is evolving and small-scale BSS is present, and 2) bicycles are not primarily considered as a transportation mode. This study aims to investigate the trip purposes and trip patterns of a small-scale docked BSS operating in Izmir, Türkiye. A two-step process was employed to determine the trip purposes, as cycling for leisure and cycling for transport. Later, ordinary least squares (OLS) and partial least squares regression (PLS) models were generated. The results showed that while the influence of public parks, residential areas and educational areas varied based on trip purpose, public transportation systems, particularly rail transit stations, and car parks appeared to have a more significant impact on transportation-oriented trips. Recommendations will be provided for the development of environmentally more sustainable BSS by accurately placing stations in the future to promote its usage for leisure or transportation purposes.