Enhancing Equity and Access in Dockless Micromobility Services: Case Study, Performance Metrics and Rebalancing Model

A case study of the Mayagüez dockless e-scooter service (MDES) is presented. The objectives of the case study were to i) explore the characteristics of MDES users and nonusers, ii) examine the relationship between the sociodemographic characteristic of the study area and observed trip levels, iii) propose spatial access indicators and apply them in the MDES service area, and iv) discuss the equity in spatial access and the congestion reduction potential of MDES. This analysis provides insights on a micromobility system that operates in a congested, auto-centric city with limited public transportation alternatives. Among other things, the study found that the main users of the system were university students and more likely to be young and male, and that MDES potentially reduced auto trips. Also, a spatial equity analysis suggests differences in access to MDES vehicles. In addition, this project proposes an optimization-based approach to generate dockless micromobility vehicle rebalancing plans that reflect equity concerns. In the proposed method, target vehicle distributions are identified such that the predicted efficiency and equity performance of the system is maximized. Then a pickup and delivery problem is applied that balance efficiency and equity objectives when searching for the optimal spatial distribution of the vehicle fleet. The application of this two-step methodology is illustrated through numerical experiments.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.5038/CUTR-NICR-y1-2.3
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/60817
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This document was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program. Cover date: December 2021.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez

  Department of Civil Engineering and Surveying
  Call Box 9000
  Mayaguez, PR  United States  00681-9000

  National Institute for Congestion Reduction

  University of South Florida
  Tampa, FL  United States  33620

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Rodríguez-Román, Daniel
  • Figueroa-Medina, Alberto M
  • Colucci-Ríos, Benjamín
  • del Valle González, Carlos
  • Zapata, Lina Villa
  • González, Gabriela Yáñez
  • Bonet, Andrés G Camacho
  • Cruz, Charmelis Reyes
  • Flórez-Coronel, Juan E
  • González-López, Juan M
  • Santiago-Ibarra, Joshua R
• Publication Date: 2021-9-30

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 68p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Access; Demographics; Equity; Micromobility; Scooters; Spatial analysis
• Geographic Terms: Mayagüez (Puerto Rico)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01836174
• Record Type: Publication
• Contract Numbers: 69A3551947136
• Files: UTC, NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Feb 22 2022 10:27AM