Comparison of Usage and Influencing Factors between Governmental Public Bicycles and Dockless Bicycles in Linfen City, China

Xiaojia Guo,Bing Xue,Dongqi Sun,Chengpeng Lu,Yexin Gao

doi:10.3390/su13126890

Abstract

Automobile traffic has shifted the use of bicycles in many developed regions to being mainly for sport, recreation and commuting. Due to the desire to mitigate the impacts of climate change and alleviate traffic jams, bicycle sharing is booming in China. Governmental public bicycles and dockless bicycles are the main types of bicycle sharing in China, each with different types of management and pricing. Field research has found that many bicycle sharing networks are idle and wasteful, and thus we investigated which type is more popular and suitable for Chinese cities. This research comparatively analyzes the application of governmental public bicycles and dockless bicycles, mainly focusing on the cycling destination, cycling frequency, and cycling factors, taking Linfen City as an example. The results show that: (1) The purpose is different between governmental public bicycles and dockless bicycles. On the one hand, the aim of riding a governmental public bicycle to work represents the largest proportion at about 29%, mainly because of the fixed route of travel, and the fact that the fixed placement of governmental public bicycles makes them more available compared to the random arbitrariness of dockless bicycles. On the other hand, the aim of riding a dockless bicycle for entertainment accounts for the largest proportion, at about 34%, mainly due to the ease of borrowing and returning a bike, and mobile payment. (2) In terms of frequency, the public’s choice of riding a dockless bicycle or a governmental public bicycle has no essential difference, given that there are only two options for citizens in Linfen. (3) The response to the two kinds of bicycle sharing is different; the governmental public bicycle has the advantage of lower cost, but the dockless bicycle has more advantages in the procedure of borrowing and returning the bicycle.

Highlights

(3) The response to the two kinds of bicycle sharing is different; the governmental public bicycle has the advantage of lower cost, but the dockless bicycle has more advantages in the procedure of borrowing and returning the bicycle
The survey mainly investigated the purpose of governmental public bicycles and dockless bicycles including commuting, traveling to school, entertainment, physical exercise, and other aspects
According to the investigation (Figure 2), with regard to governmental public bicycles, the proportion of use for going to work is the largest segment, at about 29%, which is consistent with the research conclusions of Chen et al (2020) [37] about Hangzhou bike sharing, and the research results of Li et al (2019) [38] about Kunming bike sharing

Summary

Introduction

With the important role of cities in national development, it has been found that the modalities of urban development and management are of instantaneous and direct significance, and have multiple long-term strategic impacts on urban development [1]. There is no doubt that the growth of cities and their populations causes a series of problems, such as aggravating acute climate change, widening the gap between rich and poor, and leading to more serious traffic jams. Smart city development is an inevitable choice, consistent with the development trends of the current time. As the reduction in urban automobile traffic is crucial to mitigating the impacts of climate change, promoting urban public transport is becoming increasingly attractive [2].

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Results

Discussion

Conclusion