Exploratory Multivariate Analysis of Bike-Sharing System Use: Trip Characteristics and the Effect of Pricing Scheme Change

Facing the rapidly growing popularity of bike-sharing systems worldwide, this study explores the trip characteristics of using public bikes at the level of zonal Origin-Destination (O-D) pairs, particularly with respect to the effect of pricing scheme change. Based on the availability of transaction records of Youbike, the bike-sharing system in Taipei, Taiwan, which contain data before and after an increased usage fee (as the cancellation of a free-usage period for the first 30- minute), the associated demand-side responses are studied in the context of multivariate analysis. Two regressive models are developed thereupon to investigate the effect of the change on the O- D pairs associated various land-use patterns. A finite mixture model is constructed, which identifies three distinct components with different levels of sensitivity toward the changing price. An ordered probit model is further constructed for direct before-after analysis on the variation of zonal O-D demand. Both models suggest that the pricing scheme change have greater impact on short-distance and student-related trips which are generally made by frequent users. Such research findings enable better understanding of the usage pattern of bike-sharing systems, which can benefit the associated planning and operation. They also imply the trade-off between the perspective of encouraging greener mobility and other managerial principles regarding public transportation and government subsidy.

  • Supplemental Notes:
    • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ANF20 Standing Committee on Bicycle Transportation. Alternate title: Exploratory Multivariate Analysis of Bikesharing System Use: Trip Characteristics and Effect of Pricing Scheme Change
  • Corporate Authors:

    Transportation Research Board

    500 Fifth Street, NW
    Washington, DC  United States  20001
  • Authors:
    • Wu, Yi-Hsuan
    • Kang, Lei
    • Wang, Po-Chieh
    • Hsu, Yu-Ting
  • Conference:
  • Date: 2017

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Media Type: Digital/other
  • Features: Figures; Maps; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: 16p
  • Monograph Title: TRB 96th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01624850
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Report/Paper Numbers: 17-06683
  • Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
  • Created Date: Feb 1 2017 5:14PM