Scooter Sharing Research Articles

Micro-Sharing Mobility for Sustainable Cities: Bike or Scooter Sharing?

Micro-Sharing Mobility for Sustainable Cities: Bike or Scooter Sharing?

Investigating Factors that Influence the Intention to Use Electric Scooter Sharing in a Market with Multiple Service Providers: Combined UTAUT2 and Brand Attitude

Electric scooter sharing (ESS) is widely considered to be a solution to first- and last-mile transportation problems in metropolitan areas. With more ESS service providers entering and coexisting in the same market, multiple operators with different brands may influence the usage intentions (UI) of ESS users. To investigate the factors that influence the intention to use ESS in a market with multiple service providers, this study adopted the Extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) as its conceptual model, extending it by incorporating brand attitude (BA). Focusing on ESS in Taiwan, the study designed a questionnaire and conducted a survey, collecting 411 valid responses. Analysis of the data using structural equation modeling (SEM) found several latent variables had significant positive direct effects on UI and mediation effects on UI through BA. Multigroup analysis also showed that the effects of brand preferences on UI were statistically significantly different, indicating that ESS is heterogeneous as a result of brand disparity, and service providers already had different market positions. The managerial implications and insights derived from the SEM results provide valuable suggestions for the development strategies of government agencies and the marketing strategies of operators.

What are the factors affecting the adoption and use of electric scooter sharing systems from the end user's perspective?

Since their introduction in 2017, Electric Scooter Sharing systems (ESSs) are shown to provide numerous benefits for both individuals and society, including convenient green mobility particularly over short to medium distances, increased access to other modes of transportation, and lower cost of travel. Nevertheless, several barriers still hinder the widespread acceptance of ESSs which can be categorized according to their level of impact as macro (infrastructure), meso (community), and micro (individual/perceptions). The acceptance of ESSs as a critical factor at an individual level seems to be the first obstacle to their widespread use. Previous studies have proposed strategies to encourage the use of ESSs, but little information is available concerning how end-users perceive this innovative technology. In this regard, a comprehensive conceptual framework is developed based on the extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) that incorporates system characteristics, social influence, and individual acceptance of the ESSs to assess individuals' intentions. The Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Model framework is used to analyze the conceptual model and 22 hypotheses. An online survey with 560 participants is used. The findings indicate that perceived usefulness, trust, and subjective norms are the most important factors determining the willingness to use ESSs. According to our analysis, the conceptual model provides an effective theoretical framework for identifying factors influencing individuals’ acceptance of ESSs, enabling the identification of appropriate policies to improve ESSs operations. Accordingly, ESSs integration into a comprehensive and user-friendly platform, accessibility planning, favorable depiction of ESSs and their advantages in media advertisements, and publicity campaigns to promote e-scooters as a sustainable mode of transportation are the most important policies to attract attention to e-scooters.

Spatial Inequalities in Access to Micromobility Services: An Analysis of Moped-Style Scooter Sharing Systems in Barcelona

Micromobility services hold substantial potential in terms of promoting shared and electric-powered mobility modes, however, little is known about their accessibility and what shapes their spatial coverage. These two issues are important to understand how socially equitable these modes can really be and how public policies should manage their implementation in urban areas. Hence, this study examines the determinants of the spatial coverage of four moped-style scooter sharing services (MSS) in Barcelona. The article examines the socio-territorial characteristics of the coverage areas of each MSS, as defined in 2019, together with the minimum area that operators had to provide service in 2020 according to the local regulation. For each MSS, a binomial generalized linear mixed model is employed to predict the odds of each cadastral parcel being covered by the service and analyzed the main spatial determinants associated with it. The results suggest that territorial coverage is defined by centrality, household disposable income, and topography, with low-accessibility areas consistently omitted from services. The conclusions underline the need for the public sector to participate in the design of spatial coverage areas of MSS to guarantee spatial equity and transportation justice and avoid private sector designs that systematically exclude less attractive areas.

Sustainability and the Contribution of Electric Scooter Sharing Business Models to Urban Mobility

There has been a rapid uptake of electric scooter (e-scooter) sharing services in cities in recent years. However, the academic literature is still scarce on how e-scooter operators contribute to sustainable urban mobility through their business models. In this qualitative case study, we analyse the sustainability of these rapidly evolving sharing services through a frame of sustainable business model archetypes, and study value transfer, its obstacles, and its controversies within the Finnish urban transport system. While e-scooter services mainly target delivering functionality over ownership, according to the operators, combinations of approaches are applied that contribute positively to sustainability. These include, for example, increasing the lifecycle of scooters, recycling of scooters and their parts, using renewable energy, commi ing to climate compensation, and promoting road safety and the responsible use of scooters. The findings indicate that in Finland, e-scooter services are seen to have potential in serving the first and last miles of public transport journeys. Due to a lack of binding regulation, co- and self-regulation is emphasized and is supported by active information and data sharing with public authorities. While sustainability is embedded in many ways into the business models of e-scooter operators, there are still potential sources of unsustainability aff ecting the urban transport system. For example, current business models favour convenience over physical activity, which can reduce the amount of active travel and use of city bikes.

Motives for and Barriers to the Use of Electric Moped Scooter Sharing Services

Abstract In line with the concept of sustainable development, changes in various forms of urban transport have been observed over the past few years, and the implementation of low-emission transport solutions is becoming a priority for local government. One of the key changes observed worldwide taking place on the urban transport market is the dynamic development of various forms of shared micro-mobility. One of these forms are electric moped scooter sharing services and despite their rapid growth in popularity, the existing research contributions on determinants of the use of this micro-mobility mode are limited to only a few studies. The goal of this paper is to advance knowledge regarding the motives and barriers to the use of electric moped scooter sharing services. The paper discusses the results of a study that was carried out in 2021 on a sample of 352 Polish users of electric moped scooter sharing services. The most important reasons for using these services included the convenience of this mobility mode and no city parking costs. The biggest barriers in choosing this micro-mobility mode for Polish consumers were those related to the safety of use.

Life Cycle Assessment on Electric Moped Scooter Sharing

Due to their small size and low energy demand, light electric vehicles (LEVs), such as electric moped scooters, are considered as a space efficient and eco-friendly alternative for mobility in cities. However, the growth of electric moped scooter sharing services raises the question of how environmentally friendly this business model is, considering the entire lifecycle. Due to the dynamic market and insufficient availability of public data on the business processes of sharing services only a few studies on the impact of shared electric mopeds are available. Especially there is a lack of research on the impacts of key operational logistic parameters of the sharing system. This paper aims to fill this gap by conducting a life cycle assessment using the example of an electric moped scooter manufactured and used in sharing services in Germany, based on different operating scenarios. The results show that e-moped sharing has a similar environmental impact on global warming potential, in terms of passenger kilometers, as public transport, especially if long product lifetimes as well as efficient operation logistics are realized.

Analysis of Electric Moped Scooter Sharing in Berlin: A Technical, Economic and Environmental Perspective

Electric moped scooter sharing services have recently experienced strong growth rates, particularly in Europe. Due to their compactness, environmental-friendliness and convenience, shared e-mopeds are suitable for helping to reduce the environmental impact of urban transport. However, its traffic-related, economic and environmental effects are merely represented in academic research. Therefore, this study investigates the ability of an e-moped sharing system to substitute passenger car trips, and the resulting economic and environmental effects. First, we model fleets of 2500, 10,000 and 50,000 shared e-mopeds in Berlin, based on a passenger car scenario generated by the multi-agent transport simulation framework MATSim. Afterwards, the total cost of ownership and a life cycle assessment are conducted. The results indicate that a substantial part of all passenger car trips in Berlin can be substituted. The larger the fleet, the more and longer trips are replaced. Simultaneously, the efficiency in terms of fleet utilization decreases. The scenario with 10,000 e-mopeds offers the lowest total distance-based costs for sharing operators, whereas a fleet consisting of 2500 vehicles exhibits the lowest environmental emissions per kilometer. Already with today’s grid mix, the use of shared e-mopeds results in a significant reduction in environmental impact compared to conventional and battery-electric passenger cars.

Moped Scooter Sharing: Citizens’ Perceptions, Users’ Behavior, and Implications for Urban Mobility

In recent years, moped-style scooter sharing is gaining increasing attention in many urban areas worldwide. Nevertheless, research contributions are still limited, unlike other shared mobility systems. This paper is aimed at providing a first insight on moped sharing demand by exploring the usage and opinions towards this new mobility alternative. To that end, the research exploits the data from a web-based survey conducted in Spain, one of the countries with the largest implementation around the world in terms of the shared e-mopeds fleet. Kruskal–Wallis tests were conducted to identify the segment of the urban population that is more likely adopted moped sharing, and additional statistical mean differences in specific variables concerning moped sharing were carried out. The paper also provides a better understanding of the shared mopeds market and some implications for urban mobility, such as the potential role of shared mopeds in reducing vehicle ownership and its effect on urban modal shift. Furthermore, two discrete choice models were developed to (i) analyze the key drivers determining the willingness to use moped sharing, and (ii) explore individuals’ opinions on whether owning a private vehicle will not be a need in the future. The results indicate that age, occupation, income, and environmental awareness seem to be among the main reasons behind the potential use of these services in the future. The results may be useful for both operators and transport planners when designing actions and policy efforts addressing this mobility option and urban mobility in general.

Analysis of Electric Moped Scooter Sharing in Berlin: A Technical, Economic and Environmental Perspective

Electric moped scooter sharing services have recently experienced strong growth rates, particularly in Europe. Due to their compactness, environmental-friendliness and convenience, shared e-mopeds are suitable for helping to reduce the environmental impact of urban transport. However, its traffic-related, economic and environmental effects are merely represented in academic research. Therefore, this study investigates the ability of an e-moped sharing system to substitute passenger car trips, and the resulting economic and environmental effects. First, we model fleets of 2500, 10,000 and 50,000 shared e-mopeds in Berlin, based on a passenger car scenario generated by the multi-agent transport simulation framework MATSim. Afterwards, the total cost of ownership and a life cycle assessment are conducted. The results indicate that a substantial part of all passenger car trips in Berlin can be substituted. The larger the fleet, the more and longer trips are replaced. Simultaneously, the efficiency in terms of fleet utilization decreases. The scenario with 10,000 e-mopeds offers the lowest total distance-based costs for sharing operators, whereas a fleet consisting of 2500 vehicles exhibits the lowest environmental emissions per kilometer. Already with today’s grid mix, the use of shared e-mopeds results in a significant reduction in environmental impact compared to conventional and battery-electric passenger cars.

Parking Places to Moped-Style Scooter Sharing Services Using GIS Location-Allocation Models and GPS Data

Moped-style scooters are one of the most popular systems of micro-mobility. They are undoubtedly good for the city, as they promote forms of environmentally-friendly mobility, in which flexibility helps prevent traffic build-up in the urban centers where they operate. However, their increasing numbers are also generating conflicts as a result of the bad behavior of users, their unwarranted use in public spaces, and above all their parking. This paper proposes a methodology for finding parking spaces for shared motorcycle services using Geographic information system (GIS) location-allocation models and Global Positioning System (GPS) data. We used the center of Madrid and data from the company Muving (one of the city’s main operators) for our case study. As well as finding the location of parking spaces for motorbikes, our analysis examines how the varying distribution of demand over the course of the day affects the demand allocated to parking spaces. The results demonstrate how reserving a relatively small number of parking spaces for scooters makes it possible to capture over 70% of journeys in the catchment area. The daily variations in the distribution of demand slightly reduce the efficiency of the network of parking spaces in the morning and increase it at night, when demand is strongly focused on the most central areas.

Trends in Craniofacial Injuries Associated with the Introduction of Electric Scooter Sharing Services

Electric scooters are an increasingly common and convenient mode of transportation worldwide and have effectively revolutionized the shared micromobility industry. As electric scooter sharing companies have increased in popularity there has been a concomitant increase in the frequency of all electric scooter-related injuries. The purpose of this study is to describe the most up-to-date trends in craniofacial fractures and lacerations related to electric scooter use among all age groups. We queried the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) for craniofacial fractures and lacerations related to e-scooters between 2010 and 2019. We then compared injury trends over time and between time periods before and after 2017 when electric scooter share apps revolutionized micromobility. We compared incidence of injury overall and by day of the week, patient demographics, and case severity based on clinical disposition. We identified an increase in the frequency of craniofacial lacerations and fractures in the 3 years following the introduction of electric scooter share services in 2017 (2017 and 2019), compared to the 3 years before this time (2014-2016). Young adults (18-39 years) were the age group with the greatest interval increase in craniofacial injuries. There was also an increase in number of craniofacial injuries occurring on Mondays and a decrease number occurring on Fridays in the later time period. Finally, patients who presented with electric scooter-related craniofacial injuries in this later time period showed a higher frequency of overnight observation and hospital admission for their injuries. The number of craniofacial injuries secondary to electric scooter use has increased dramatically since the introduction of share services. Craniofacial fractures and lacerations are a common reason for craniofacial or maxillofacial surgery consultation and understanding these patterns of injury will help prepare surgeons for patient care, preventative education, and public advocacy.

Electric Scooter Sharing and Bike Sharing User Behaviour and Characteristics

New, shared mobility modes, including dockless e-scooters and e-bikes, were recently introduced to many cities around the world. The aim of this article is to determine the differences between the users of e-bike sharing, and e-scooter sharing systems, and the characteristics of their travel behaviour. This study is based on the survey of the citizens of Tricity in northern Poland. We find that e-bicycles are predominantly used as first and last mile transport and to commute directly to various places of interest, whereas e-scooters are more often used for leisure rides. Survey respondents that adopted shared micromobility are generally young, and e-scooter users are on average younger than e-bike users. Although all shared vehicles in Tricity are electrically assisted, this did not allow for the elimination of the gender gap, or help retired and disabled people in the adoption of shared micromobility services. We have also identified factors discouraging people from the usage of e-bike and e-scooter sharing and found them to be different for both types of services. Finally, we investigated the issue of using shared e-bikes for urban logistics.

Impact of electric scooters to a tertiary emergency department: 8-week review after implementation of a scooter share scheme.

A retrospective audit of presentations to a tertiary trauma centre reviewing the demographics of electric scooter injuries in the first 2 months of the scooter-share scheme, which was commenced in Brisbane in November 2018. Electric scooter-associated presentations to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital Emergency and Trauma Centre from November 2018 to January 2019 were identified. Data collected included patient demographics, type and location of injuries, helmet use, alcohol consumption, length of stay and disposition. Estimates of costs associated with electric scooter presentation were also obtained. Fifty-four electric scooter encounters were included during the 2-month period. Helmets were worn in 46% and was associated with reduced risk of head injury (odds ratio (OR) 0.18, P = 0.029). Alcohol was involved in 27% although this did not impact on admission rates (OR 1.25, P = 0.83) or operative management (OR 2.14, P = 0.42). Contusions/abrasions and fractures/dislocations were the most common types of injury, whereas upper limb and minor head injuries were the most common sites of injury. Most patients were discharged home (87%), with 74% completing their emergency visit in under 4 h. Six patients required operative management and 15 patients needed outpatient follow-up. There were no deaths. Average patient cost per presentation was $542 and ranged from $285 to $1345. The findings characterised injury patterns and costs associated with electric scooters in our ED. Given the increasing popularity of electric scooters as an alternate form of transportation, our study may help to inform public policy for future injury prevention.