Bike Sharing as a Solution for Mobility Issues in São Paulo: Benchmarking …
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partnerships and subsidies. As the third generation continues to expand worldwide,
a fourth generation of BSS, called “Demand-Responsive, Multi-Modal Systems”,
which uses even modern technologies such as GPS tracking, touchscreen stations,
better integration with the public transport system, electric bicycles, among other
improvements (Shaheen et al. 2010; Si et al. 2019; Scott et al. 2019).
Despite the success of the BSS, one of its largest concerns is the low predictability
of resources—for example, when a user arrives at the station and is unable to find
an available bike, or when the station is full and the bike cannot be returned. Bike
allocation must be actively managed by the BSS operator, to ensure efficient operation becoming a viable alternative to other transport modals (Caggiani et al. 2019).
Therefore, in 2016, a new dockless BSS model emerged in China, which benefited
from the development of technology information, integrating mobile payment and
big data GPS tracking, and enabling the return of bicycles wherever their parking is
allowed. The BSS then gained unprecedented scale, resulting in a large number of
bikes available and ultimately undermining the efficiency of the system as a whole
(Si et al. 2019).
The dockless model was designed in order to make life easier for its users, allowing
them to go door to door with a shared bike. However, it becomes harder to ensure the
offer of vehicles at the same place and time every day, something vital to retain public
and, therefore, receive predictable revenue (Balago 2020). Despite some socioeconomic and environmental benefits, dockless BSS have brought new urban difficulties, such as bike returns in inappropriate locations. To solve this problem, “virtual
fences” delimiting the area of operation without a physical installation are being
predetermined by operators (Zhang et al. 2019).
The operation models have characteristics that must be evaluated by the agents
involved in the implementation of urban mobility solutions and policies. The effects
on economic, environmental and social aspects, as well as the operational viability,
shall be considered by all agents involved in the implementation of this new
micromobility solution, adapting to the specificities of each city or region.
3 Market Panorama
The world bicycle demand has been growing rapidly recently, with 130 million units
sold in 2018 (Sharma 2019). This growth is mostly driven by the Asian market and
the launch of new electric models. In 2017, 34 million electric bikes were sold, and
40 million units are expected to be sold in 2023 (STATISTA 2014).
China continues to be the main market for bicycle production and consumption.
In the country, 80 million units were sold in 2018, over 60% of the global market
(Sharma 2019; Cai 2017). China was the pioneer in the dockless BSS model, enabling
its expansion globally.
In Europe, there is a growing incentive to use the modal, especially in large urban
centers. Copenhagen is the leader in cycling, with 33% of total trips, followed by
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partnerships and subsidies. As the third generation continues to expand worldwide,
a fourth generation of BSS, called “Demand-Responsive, Multi-Modal Systems”,
which uses even modern technologies such as GPS tracking, touchscreen stations,
better integration with the public transport system, electric bicycles, among other
improvements (Shaheen et al. 2010; Si et al. 2019; Scott et al. 2019).
Despite the success of the BSS, one of its largest concerns is the low predictability
of resources—for example, when a user arrives at the station and is unable to find
an available bike, or when the station is full and the bike cannot be returned. Bike
allocation must be actively managed by the BSS operator, to ensure efficient operation becoming a viable alternative to other transport modals (Caggiani et al. 2019).
Therefore, in 2016, a new dockless BSS model emerged in China, which benefited
from the development of technology information, integrating mobile payment and
big data GPS tracking, and enabling the return of bicycles wherever their parking is
allowed. The BSS then gained unprecedented scale, resulting in a large number of
bikes available and ultimately undermining the efficiency of the system as a whole
(Si et al. 2019).
The dockless model was designed in order to make life easier for its users, allowing
them to go door to door with a shared bike. However, it becomes harder to ensure the
offer of vehicles at the same place and time every day, something vital to retain public
and, therefore, receive predictable revenue (Balago 2020). Despite some socioeconomic and environmental benefits, dockless BSS have brought new urban difficulties, such as bike returns in inappropriate locations. To solve this problem, “virtual
fences” delimiting the area of operation without a physical installation are being
predetermined by operators (Zhang et al. 2019).
The operation models have characteristics that must be evaluated by the agents
involved in the implementation of urban mobility solutions and policies. The effects
on economic, environmental and social aspects, as well as the operational viability,
shall be considered by all agents involved in the implementation of this new
micromobility solution, adapting to the specificities of each city or region.
3 Market Panorama
The world bicycle demand has been growing rapidly recently, with 130 million units
sold in 2018 (Sharma 2019). This growth is mostly driven by the Asian market and
the launch of new electric models. In 2017, 34 million electric bikes were sold, and
40 million units are expected to be sold in 2023 (STATISTA 2014).
China continues to be the main market for bicycle production and consumption.
In the country, 80 million units were sold in 2018, over 60% of the global market
(Sharma 2019; Cai 2017). China was the pioneer in the dockless BSS model, enabling
its expansion globally.
In Europe, there is a growing incentive to use the modal, especially in large urban
centers. Copenhagen is the leader in cycling, with 33% of total trips, followed by