early understanding of public bikesharing in north america fall... · decobike des moines b-cycle...

Early Understanding of Public Bikesharing in North America Susan Shaheen, Ph.D.

Co-Director and Lecturer, University of California, Berkeley & Mineta

CalACT 2012 Autumn Conference

September 19-21, 2012

Overview

• Public bikesharing defined

• Study methodology

• Public bikesharing: history

• Bikesharing operations in North America

• N. American bikesharing impacts & developments

• Future innovations

• Summary

What is Public Bikesharing? • Bikesharing organizations maintain

fleets of bicycles in a network of locations

• Stations typically unattended, concentrated in urban settings and provide a variety of pickup and dropoff locations

• Allows individuals to access shared bicycles on an as-needed basis

• Subscriptions offered in short-term (1-7 Day) and long-term (30-365 Day) increments

• Most programs cover the cost of bicycle maintenance, storage, and parking

N. America: Historical Overview • North America’s first IT-based bikesharing system,

Tulsa Townies, started operating in 2007 in Tulsa, OK

• First solar-powered, fully automated docking-based system in

the world; provides service free of charge

• In Canada, first IT-based public bikesharing system,

BIXI (BIcycle-TaXI), began operating in 2009 in

Montreal

Study Methodology • Literature review

• Operator interviews with all 19 North American IT-based programs operational as of April 2012

• Conducted 14 expert interviews with transportation personnel, transit operators, policymakers, and community bike coordinators

• Completed online survey with users of early public bikesharing systems in: Montreal; Toronto; Washington, D.C.; and the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and Saint Paul)

• Analyzed operational data from two American operators for 2011

Startup/Closures: 1994 - May 2012

1

3

5 56

5

3 34 4

34

3 34 4

5

8 8

12 2

7

15

17

1 1

4 4

18

-1 -1 -1-2

-1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1

-5

0

5

10

15

20

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Nu

mb

er

of

Org

aniz

atio

ns

1st and 2nd Generation U.S. and Canada

IT Based Programs in the U.S.

IT Based programs in Canada

Planned Programs Launching in the U.S. and Canada in 2012

Annual Closures

N. American Program Activity

Shaheen et al., 2012

Bikesharing: North America As of January 2012, 19 IT-based programs:

• 216,422 users and 11,473 shared bicycles

As of May 2012, there were 21 IT-based based operations.

18 more planned in 2012-2013 (NYC, Chicago, LA, SF)


Business Models 1. Non-Profit (e.g., Denver B-Cycle)

– Start-up and operational funding commonly supported through grants, sponsorships and loans

2. Privately Owned and Operated (DecoBike) 3. Publicly Owned and Operated (Golden Community

Bike Share) 4. Publicly Owned and Contractor Operated (e.g.,

Capital Bikeshare) 5. Street Furniture Contract (SmartBike DC—closed) 6. Third-Party Operated (e.g., Chicago B-Cycle)

– Profit-sharing agreement operated with local business

7. Vendor Operated (Bike Nation) – Operated by the same company that designs/manufactures

system equipment

Seasonal vs. Year-Round Operations


Business Models


Member-Bicycle Ratios


Denver B-cycle

BIXI Montreal

Capital Bikeshare

Chicago B-cycle

Madison B-cycle

San Antonio B-cycle

BIXI TorontoNice Ride Minnesota

New Balance Hubway

DecoBike

Des Moines B-cycle

Boulder B-cycle

Broward B-cycle

Spartanburg B-cycle

Capital BIXI

Hawaii B-cycleGolden Community Bike Share

1

10

100

1000

10000

1 10 100 1,000 10,000 100,000

Bic

ycle

s

Members

Omaha B-cycle

n = 18

Bicycle-to-Docking Port Ratios


0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

Targ

et D

ock

ing

Por

ts t

o B

icyc

les

Rat

io

n = 17

Types of Funding/Revenue Sources


16%

26%

89%95%

68%

32%26% 26%

16%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Per

cen

t o

f O

per

ato

rs

Type of Funding and Revenue

n = 19

Cost of Bikesharing By Program: Daily Users


Cost of Bikesharing By Program: Annual Membership


$0 $10 $20 $30 $40 $50 $60 $70 $80 $90 $100

BIXI Toronto

New Balance Hubway

BIXI Montreal

Capital BIXI

Denver B-cycle

Capital Bikeshare

Chicago B-cycle

Nice Ride Minnesota

Madison B-cycle

Omaha B-cycle

San Antonio B-cycle

Golden Community Bike Share

Boulder B-cycle

Hawaii B-cycle

Des Moines B-cycle

Broward B-cycle

Spartanburg B-cycle

Tulsa Townies

DecoBike

Annual Membership Cost

Station Locations: Public vs. Private Land


Optimum Distance Between Docking Stations


0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Between 100 -300 yards

Between 300yards - 1/4 mile

Between 1/4mile - 1/2 mile

Between 1/2mile - 3/4 mile

More than 3/4Mile

Pe

rce

nt

of

Op

era

tors

by

Co

un

try

Distance

U.S., n = 15

Canada, n = 4

Optimum Distance From Public Transit


0

1

2

3

4

Less than 25yards

25 - 50 yards 50 - 100 yards 100 - 300 yards 300 yards - 1/4mile

Nu

mb

er

of

Op

era

tors

by

Co

un

try

Canada

U.S.

n = 9

Docking Station Features


Bicycle Access


Bikesharing Impacts

Data (Year)

Trips Per Day

KM Per Day CO2 Reduction

(Kg Per Day)

BIXI Montreal 2011 20,000 50,000 8,760

Trips Per

Year KM Per Year

CO2 Reduction (Kg Per Year)

Boulder B-Cycle 2011 18,500 47,174

Denver B-Cycle 2011 202,731 694,942 280,339

New Balance Hubway (Boston) 2011 140,000

Madison B-Cycle 2011 18,500 46,805

San Antonio B-Cycle 2011 22,709 38,575


Member Survey: Overview

Fall 2011/Early 2012


Bikesharing Trip Purpose

56%

2% 1% 1%

19%

10%

3%6%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Montreal

38%

8% 7%1%

14% 14%9% 9%

-10%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Minneapolis-St. PaulQuestion: What is your most common trip purpose for using Nice Ride

Minnesota?

N = 123238%

6% 7%4%

21%

12%7% 5%

-10%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Washington, D.C.

N = 5140

50%

8%2% 2%

11%

19%

2%7%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

TorontoQuestion: What is your most common trip purpose for using BIXI?N = 843

Question: What is your most common trip purpose for using BIXI?

Question: What was the primary purpose of your MOST RECENT Capital Bikeshare trip?

N = 3299


One-way and Round-trip


40%

15%17%

28%

17%19%

27%

38%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Often Sometimes Rarely Never

Montreal

One-way, from station to station, N = 3227

Round Trip, back to the same station, N = 3204

40%

14% 13%

33%

15%18%

21%

46%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%


Toronto



53%

17%

8%

21%

26%

21% 21%

32%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%


Minneapolis-Saint Paul




Trip Duration


13%

30%

21%

13%

8%

4%2% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

2%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

Minutes

Washington, D.C.

Capital Bikeshare Operational Data

18%

30%

18%

11%7%

4%2% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

Minutes

Minneapolis-Saint Paul

Nice Ride Minnesota Operational Data

N = 217,530 Trips in 2011

N = 1,103,598 Trips in 2011


Change in Bicycling


33%

39%

3% 2%

22%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

Much more often More often Less often Much less often No Change as a Result of Bikesharing

As a result of my use of [bikesharing], I ride a bicycle (any bicycle)…

All respondents

26%

45%

3%0%

26%

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%


Minneapolis

N = 1218

[B]

N = 10543

[A]


Perceptions of Bikesharing as Enhancing Transit


81%

17%

1% 1% 0%0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Strongly agree Agree Neutral (no opinion) Disagree Strongly disagree

I think of BIXI as an enhancement to the Montreal public transportation system.

77%

20%

1% 1% 0%0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%


I think of BIXI as an enhancement to the Toronto public transportation system.

N = 841

82%

16%1% 1% 0%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%


I think of Nice Ride Minnesota as an enhancement to the Twin Cities public transportation

system.N = 1233

N = 3291


Change in Transit Use



3%

15%

27%

12%

42%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%


As a result of my use of [public bikesharing], I use public transportation…

All respondents

3%

25%

10%

1%

60%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%


Twin Cities

N = 1228

[B]

N = 5360

[A]

Urban Rail Systems of Cities Surveyed Minneapolis Montreal Washington, D.C.

Toronto

Change in Personal Driving


0% 0%

29%

11%

60%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%


As a result of my use of [public bikesharing], I drive a car…

All respondents

0% 0%

44%

9%

48%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%


Twin Cities

N = 1230

[B]

N = 10607

[A]


Reduction of Vehicle Ownership


7135

398 553

010002000300040005000600070008000

No Sold or donated a household vehicle

Considered selling a personal vehicle

Since you joined [public bikesharing], have you sold, donated or otherwise

gotten rid of a personal household vehicle or considered selling a personal vehicle?

82

135

162

14

0

50

100

150

200

Very important Somewhat important Not at all important Don’t know

How important has your membership with [public bikesharing] been in your

decision to sell or consider selling a personal vehicle?

N = 393

[B]

N = 8086[A]


Impact on Exercise


34% 39%

18%7% 1%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%


I get more exercise now that I am a member of BIXI. [Montreal]

19%

39%26%

13%3%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%


I get more exercise now that I am a member of BIXI. [Toronto]N = 841

21%

41%26%

10%2%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%


I get more exercise now that I am a member of Nice Ride Minnesota.

N = 1229

N = 955


Helmet Use with Public Bikesharing


8%12%

8% 10%

62%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Always Most of the time

Sometimes Rarely Never

Montreal

16%20%

14%

50%

-10%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Always Sometimes Rarely Never

Minneapolis-St Paul

Question: How often do you wear a helmet while using Nice Ride?

N = 1232

17% 19% 21%

43%

-10%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Always Most of the time Some of the time Never

Washington, D.C.

N = 5248

11%

18%

11%

15%

45%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

Always Most of the time

Sometimes Rarely Never

Toronto

Question: How often do you wear a helmet when using BIXI bikes?

N = 842

Question: How often do you wear a helmet when using BIXI bikes?

Question: How often do you wear a helmet when you use Capital Bikeshare?

N = 3291


Future Innovations

Helmet Station Manufacturer Use

SandVault

www.sandvault.comBikeshareBC (planned)

Summary • Rapid growth of IT-based programs in North America (2010-

ongoing)

– Approximately 20 planned and existing launches for 2012

• Changing emphasis on business models

– Profit-based models becoming more prevalent

• Higher member-to-bicycle ratios in the U.S., compared to CA

• Broadly, user survey indicates modal shift away from all other modes (auto and transit)

• Modal shift away from transit may have occurred due to transit congestion at peak times and shorter, faster, or more direct routing with bikesharing

• Transit modal shift increase where service is smaller and less frequent

Acknowledgements

• Mineta Transportation Institute, San Jose State University

• California Department of Transportation

• Adam Cohen, Dr. Elliot Martin, Stacey Guzman, Rachel Whyte, and Cynthia Armour, TSRC, UC Berkeley

• North American public bikesharing organizations

www.its.berkeley.edu/sustainabilitycenter

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