The Preferences of Shared Micro-Mobility Users in Urban Areas

This research focuses on the preferences of micro-mobility users in urban areas, specifically shared electric bikes (e-bikes), shared conventional bikes (bike), and shared electric scooters (e-scooters). It is found that previous scholars study traveler preferences of traditional transport modes while limited attention has been given to preferences of travelers toward micro-mobility considering electric scooters and bikes over conventional bikes. In order to address this gap, a discrete choice modeling approach is used to study the preferences of people through developing a transport choice model. A discrete choice experiment (DCE) is designed where choice sets that combine the shared micro transport modes where three associated attributes and four levels are included in the DCE for each alternative. A stated preference (SP) survey is designed and distributed in Budapest, Hungary. This research focuses on urban areas where travel time is relatively short. Multinomial Logit (MNL) model is applied where a transport choice model is developed. The effect of several factors on the preferences of people toward the three micro transport modes are evaluated. The developed transport choice model includes trip time, trip cost, walking distance, parking characteristics, and socio-demographic factors. The results indicate that travelers prefer using bikes more than e-bikes and e-scooters. Furthermore, it is found that e-scooter is the least favored by travelers. It is noteworthy that car drivers, individuals with access to or frequent usage of micro-mobility, graduate students, full-time workers, males, and young people are more willing to use shared electric micro-mobility services. The probability of choosing a transport mode based on the changes on parking type attribute is estimated in this research. The results show that travelers prefer free floating parking when they use shared electric micro-mobility services. This research underscores the significance of parking type (docks or dockless) and socio-demographic variables when it comes to micro-mobility modes in urban areas. It is evident that shared electric micro-mobility options require more effort and policy support to be effectively implemented, as shared conventional bikes appear more appealing to users. Overall, these findings contribute to the understanding of micro-mobility preferences and highlight areas for further exploration and potential policy interventions.