By Mary Velan
Gov1
What Happened?
New research indicates urban residents prefer a variety of transportation options, specifically those with on-demand capabilities. As a result, car and bike-sharing projects have taken off and are fueling economic growth.
Carsharing
A recent study from Navigant Research found approximately 1.8 million carsharing members were using services in 27 countries across 5 continents in 2012. Most carsharing programs now are offered by major multinational corporations, or from a partnership between young carsharing companies, well-established car rental agencies, automotive manufacturers and public institutions.
The previous and projected growth in carsharing services is driven by a number of factors such as convenience and affordability. Furthermore, cities worldwide are facing high levels of urban congestion while trying to cut down on emissions to improve air quality and sustainability. Cities are implementing a variety of strategies to get cars off the road, such as:
- Mandating higher levels of vehicle fuel efficiency
- Creating traffic-reducing protocols such as car-free or car-light zones
- Increasing bicycle and pedestrian safety amenities such as protected bike lanes or pedestrian crossings
- Launching fee-based congestion zones that charge drivers for entering certain areas
Carsharing programs are seen as a powerful tool to reducing emissions and traffic while creating more livable cities. On average, each vehicle used in a carsharing fleet is estimated to take five to 11 vehicles off the road, Navigant Research reported.
Carsharing offers members a less expensive option for transportation than owning a personal vehicle. Drivers only pay for vehicle use as needed, do not have to worry about parking and can avoid maintenance costs.
Furthermore, the ownership of a personal vehicle no longer represents a means of status or freedom as it has for previous generations. People under the age of 35 prefer easier, more convenient access to transportation, rather than owning a vehicle. Services that substitute access for ownership have become more commonplace, including carsharing and bikesharing. This generational shift is the result of both the economic downturn of 2008 as well as the rise of internet and mobile-based programs driving on-demand services, Navigant explained.
Bikesharing
Similarly, a study from the Institute for Sensible Transport identified why bikesharing systems are so popular in the United States and worldwide. According to the research:
- Bikesharing programs increased from 13 systems to 855 systems between 2004 and 2014 worldwide, 54 of which were in the United States
- Paris has the most bicycles in bikesharing programs at 17,902 while London offers 9,901 and New York has more than 7,000
- Barcelona boasts the most number of residents using bikesharing systems on daily basis
- The majority of bikesharing systems are third generation in that they:
- Take credit card payments
- Have GPS tracking on the bicycles
- Can be accessed by smartphone apps to show bike availability and docking stations
- Bikesharing usage peaks during rush hour zones - 7am to 9am and 4pm to 6pm on weekdays
The top reason users across the globe are engaged in bikesharing programs is convenience. A survey of Washington, D.C. bikesharers found 69 percent of users said getting around easily and conveniently was the reason they opted for bikesharing.
While bikesharing systems reduce vehicle miles traveled by residents, a bicycle trip does not always replace a trip via personal vehicle. Many bikeshare users either take public transportation, walk or bike to their destinations. Therefore, it is up to municipal leaders to make bikesharing a more common option for residents of all transit preferences so as to reduce urban congestion and emissions.
One way the researchers recommend to achieve this is by creating infrastructure to accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians rather than automobiles. Cities are investing in protected bike lanes, larger sidewalks, and car-free bridges and city centers to encourage residents to find alternative transportation when navigating the urban environment.
And bikesharing is not limited to major cities. Many smaller cities and college campuses have adopted bikeshare programs to cater to a growing population of multimodal-focused residents looking for convenience over ownership.
Jersey City, for example, recently announced 350 bikes at 35 docking stations will be added to the city this year. The bikesharing will be provided by Citi Bike which outfits New York City with over 7,000 bicycles. Now Jersey City residents can ride a Citi Bike to a nearby PATH docking station and grab a Citi Bike New York on the other side of the Hudson River to continue their journey. Furthermore, residents who have a Citi Bike New York membership will not have to buy a separate Citi Bike Jersey City membership, or vice versa, The Jersey Journal reported.