Behavioural Factors for Users of Bicycles as a Transport Alternative: A Case Study

Abstract

Recent mobility and transportation dynamics have shaped the main sustainability problems of today, evidencing the need to potentiate alternative, flexible, environmentally friendly transportation means—such as bicycles—that significantly contribute to the health and well-being of users. However, in cities that are just beginning to implement bicycle systems or are seeking to achieve high levels of bicycle use, it is important to know which are the most relevant factors that users consider when using this type of medium. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify the main behavioural factors among users of the public bicycle programme EnCicla in the city of Medellín, Colombia. Confirmatory factor analysis of responses to a self-administered questionnaire, elaborated based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour, was conducted using the statistical tool Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS). Among the main results, the behavioural factors that further explained behavioural intention were attitude towards behaviour and perceived behavioural control, with values of 0.579 and 0.519, respectively (Cramér coefficient or Cramér’s V). The relevance of these factors lies in the implementation of dynamics that affect a better assessment by users of public bicycles in the EnCicla system, increasing satisfaction with the service and promoting greater adoption in the context of current mobility needs. The practical implications of this study are related to the possibility of designing strategies and public policies to enhance this means of transport in the cities where it is implemented, or to prepare a possible implementation in those that plan to do so.