Scooting into place: How comfort on different infrastructure types influences shared e-scooter trip making

Abstract

Shared e-scooters are a growing disruptive micro-mobility technology. Several Canadian cities, including Calgary, have launched pilot programs to test these micro-mobility options. As part of the Calgarian pilot, a public engagement survey was launched to collect information about the public’s perception of shared e-scooters. The survey includes a set of questions related to users’ perception of comfort using shared e-scooters on various infrastructure types: roads, bike lanes, sidewalks and dedicated pathways, as well as a question related to the frequency of use of the e-scooters. Comfort in general and specific comfort on the type of infrastructure most used is expected to have a high degree of correlation with the frequency of use. We present a joint ordered choice model examining how different sociodemographic characteristics and typical travel patterns of the survey respondents influence perceptions of comfort on these different infrastructure types and their frequency of e-scooter use. The model estimation results show that e-scooter use is not uniform across age and gender demographics and that infrastructure, riding comfort, and e-scooter use are linked. E-scooter riding comfort was negatively associated with infrastructure types that led to more potential interactions with motor vehicles and pedestrians. These results will allow decision makers to tailor new policies and prioritize infrastructure to improve the overall usage of e-scooters and maximize the benefits these new technologies will provide.