Docked Bikeshare Equity and Goal Conflict: An Evaluation Using Gini Coefficients and Lorenz Curves

Abstract

The equitable distribution of docked bikeshare is an important issue for transportation decision-makers. Gini coefficients and Lorenz curves can be used to study transportation inequality. This study used these methods to achieve three outcomes. First, this study identified a gap in bikeshare equity literature and provided a more nuanced measure of bikeshare supply to better evaluate how well bikeshare meets demand. Second, the updated measure of distributional equity was used to evaluate bikeshare equity in Washington, DC. Third, using historical trip data, the Gini coefficient calculations indicated which trip types are better served. Comparison of the results highlighted a potential conflict in program goals: equity versus supporting existing bikeshare members. Policy feedback may bias this trade-off in favor of members, reinforcing spatial inequalities. Overall, this paper further demonstrated how Gini coefficients and Lorenz curves can be useful tools for evaluating inequality in transportation systems.