Abstract
The paper takes station-based bikesharing system (SBS) with docks and dockless free-floating bikesharing system (FBS) as two targets to dig out the relationship between users and use frequency of the services for each scheme, and how the relationship varies from scheme to scheme. To achieve this, studies are carried out focusing on three questions: “who are using these two bicycle services?”; “what are the factors influencing the use frequency of both bicycle systems?”; and “which specific level of the factors influencing the use frequency of both bicycle schemes?” To collect data from users, a survey was designed containing questions for user attributes and service experience and conducted jointly on-line and on-site at four locations with mixed land use in Hangzhou, China. Analysis results show that SBS and FBS have similar user structure but different factors influence use frequency. Based on analysis results, from the user perspective, SBS’s strength is to have good quality with low cost while FBS is more flexible and free to use. Finally, recommendations for SBS are to involve more technology to expand its range to aided bikes for senior citizens and open the access for a mobile renting system, whereas for FBS, it is critical to get government cooperation and for operators to add parking area restrictions into the cellphone application, and create an on-line platform where users can find all the free-floating bike information.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Audikana, A., et al.: Implementing bikesharing systems in small cities: evidence from the Swiss experience. Transp. Policy 55, 18–28 (2017)
Bao, J., et al.: Exploring bikesharing travel patterns and trip purposes using smart card data and online point of interests. Netw. Spat. Econ. 4(17), 1231–1253 (2017)
Buehler, R., Pucher, J., Gerike, R., et al.: Reducing car dependence in the heart of Europe: lessons from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Transp. Rev. 37(1), 4–28 (2017)
Campbell, A., Cherry, C., Ryerson, M., et al.: Factors influencing the choice of shared bicycles and shared electric bikes in Beijing. Transp. Res. Part C 67, 399–414 (2016)
Cao, Y.: Investigation and analysis of Hangzhou public bicycle service satisfaction. Stat. Theory Pract. 11, 44–47 (2016)
Chen, M., Wang, D., Sun, Y., et al.: Service evaluation of public bicycle scheme from a user perspective: a case study in Hangzhou, China. Transp. Res. Rec. 2643, 28–34 (2017)
Chinese bike sharing market research report. Big data research. http://www.bigdata-research.cn/content/201702/383.html (2016). Accessed 12 July 2017
Cui, L.: Mobike: bicycle version of Didi in the car-hailing world. Traffic Constr. Manag. 74–77 (2016)
DeMaio, P.: Bike-sharing: history, impacts, models of provision, and future. J. Public Transp. 12(2), 41–56 (2014)
Etienne, C., Latifa, O.: Model-based count series clustering for bike sharing system usage mining: a case study with the Vélib’ system of Paris. ACM Transp. Intell. Syst. Technol. 5(3), 1–21 (2014)
Fishman, E., Washington, S., Haworth, N.: Bike share: a synthesis of the literarue. Transp. Rev. 33(2), 148–165 (2013)
Gámez-Pérez, K.M., Arroyo-López P., Cherry C.R.: Defining a primary market for bikesharing programs: a study of habits and usage intentions in León, Mexico. Transp. Res. Rec. J. Transp. Res. Board (2634), 50–56 (2017)
Larsen J.: Bike-sharing programs hit the streets in over 500 cities worldwide. Plan B Updates (2013). http://www.treehugger.com/bikes/bike-sharing-programs-hit-streets-over-500-cities-worldwide.html. Accessed 12 July 2017
Li, Z.-C., Yao, M.-Z., Lam, W.H.K., Sumalee, A., Choi, K.: Modeling the effects of public bicycle schemes in a congested multi-modal road network. Int. J. Sustain. Transp. 9(4), 282–297 (2015)
Midgley, P.: Bicycle-Sharing Schemes: Enhancing Sustainable Mobility in Urban Areas. Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations, New York (2011)
Molina-García, J., Castillo, I., Queralt, A., et al.: Bicycling to university: evaluation of a bicycle-sharing program in Spain. Health Promot. Int. 30(2), 350–358 (2015)
Pal, A., Zhang, Y.: Free-floating bike sharing: solving real-life large-scale static rebalancing problems. Transp. Res. Part C Emerg. Technol. 80, 92–116 (2017)
Regue, R., Recker, W.: Proactive vehicle routing with inferred demand to solve the bikesharing rebalancing problem. Transp. Res. Part E 72, 192–209 (2014)
Ricci, M.: Bike sharing: a review of evidence on impacts and processes of implementation and operation. Res. Transp. Bus. Manag. 15, 28–38 (2015)
Rixey, A.: Station-level forecasting of bikesharing ridership. Transp. Res. Rec. J. Transp. Res. Board (2387), 46–55 (2013)
Shaheen, S., Guzman, S., Zhang, H.: Bikesharing in Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Transp. Res. Rec. J. Transp. Res. Board (2143), 159–167 (2011)
Shaheen, S., Christensen M.: Shared-use mobility summit: retrospective of north America’s first gathering on shared-use mobility. Transportation Sustainability Research Center (2014)
Shaheen, S., et al.: Shared mobility: definitions, industry developments, and early understanding. Transportation Sustainability Research Center, Innovative Mobility Research (2015)
Vogel P., Mattfeld, D.C.: Modeling of repositioning activities in bike-sharing systems. In: World Conference on Transport Research, Bruges (2010)
Wang, W., Wei, W.: Comparative study of commercial operation mode of public bicycle systems worldwide: based on perspective of institutional economics. UPI 28(3), 64–69 (2013)
Yang, W.: A comparison between public bikes and sharing bikes of Hangzhou residents’ characteristics. Zhejiang University, Hangzhou (2017)
Zhang, L., Zhang, L., Duan, Z., et al.: Sustainable bike-sharing systems: characteristics and commonalities across cases in urban China. J. Clean. Prod. 97, 124–133 (2015)
Zhao, J., Deng, W., Song, Y.: Ridership and effectiveness of bikesharing: the effects of urban features and system characteristics on daily use and turnover rate of public bikes in China. Transp. Policy 35, 253–264 (2014)
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the help from Rong Lan, China Public Transport Association. The study is also financed by national natural science foundation of China (Grant No. 51338008) and national natural science foundation of China (Grant No. 61773338).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chen, M., Wang, D., Sun, Y. et al. A comparison of users’ characteristics between station-based bikesharing system and free-floating bikesharing system: case study in Hangzhou, China. Transportation 47, 689–704 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11116-018-9910-7
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11116-018-9910-7