Which factors influence the use of shared and privately-owned e-scooters in the city of Madrid? Implications for urban mobility

Abstract

Micromobility using fully-electric two-wheeled vehicles is increasing in cities worldwide. E-scooters, whether shared or privately-owned, provide short door-to-door trips by facilitating the first/last mile stage of the journey. They are expected to improve livability in cities by reducing harmful emissions and space occupation. In this respect, understanding travel behavior and usage patterns is essential to regulate them appropriately. The purpose of this study is to determine individuals' sociodemographic variables, mobility-related attributes, and latent constructs influencing e-scooter usage. To that end, an individual-level model is estimated to explain the adoption and frequency of use of both shared and private e-scooters based on survey data. The research takes the city of Madrid as a case study, and contributes to a deeper understanding of the differences in the use of privately-owned and shared e-scooters, with a particular focus on the influence of mobility habits and attitudinal variables. The study is complemented with some insights on shared e-scooter usage at the trip-level, which shows the substitution caused on walking trips, and their limited ability to promote modal shifts from the private car. Finally, the research provides valuable implications for urban dynamics and feedback for policymakers and transport planners.