Health impacts of bike sharing systems in the U.S

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Bike-sharing systems (BSS) are short-term bike rentals, that can be borrowed from one location and retired to another at the conclusion of the trip. In 2019, the top 10 US largest BSS fleets counted more than 33,500 bikes. To our knowledge, no assessment has quantified the health risk and benefits of multiple BSS in the US. METHODS: This study followed a quantitative health impact assessment approach, to estimate the risks and benefits of BSS. Specifically, we quantified the health impacts related to three exposures: physical activity, air pollution, and traffic incidents. We analyzed all the trips made by BSS systems in the US. Input data on transport, traffic safety, air quality, and physical activity were collated from public records and scientific publications. We modeled the health impacts on adult users related to mortality, disease incidence, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and health economic impacts (related to morbidity and mortality). RESULTS:In the US,109,589 BSS trips were made each day. From those 45% substituted car trips, 28% walk trips, and 9% transit trips. Among all travelers, we estimated an annual reduction of 36 million USD in health economic impacts, 737 DALYs, and 4.7 premature deaths related to BSS trips, mainly derived from the increment in physical activity. When we disaggregate the analysis by mode of transport, in all the cases the substitution of public transport, walk and car trips by BSS resulted in more health benefits. In the US, the average estimated health benefit-risk ratio for BSS was 19:1. CONCLUSIONS:BSS in the US provides a health benefit for travelers. Improvements in air quality and traffic safety across the US cities will maximize the health benefits of BSS. This study supports the implementation and expansion of BSS across cities in the US. KEYWORDS: Transport, Bicycling, Bike-sharing systems, Health Impact Assessment, Physical activity, Air Pollution