Exploring Influential Factors of Free-Floating Bike-Sharing Usage Frequency before and after COVID-19

Xinyi Xie, Mingyang Du (), Xuefeng Li and Yunjian Jiang
Additional contact information
Xinyi Xie: College of Automobile and Traffic Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
Mingyang Du: College of Automobile and Traffic Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
Xuefeng Li: College of Automobile and Traffic Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
Yunjian Jiang: Zhejiang Scientific Research Institute of Transport, Hangzhou 310023, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 11, 1-17

Abstract: In order to better understand the impact of COVID-19 on the free-floating bike-sharing (FFBS) system and the potential role of FFBS played in the pandemic period, this study explores the impact mechanism of travel frequency of FFBS users before and after the pandemic. Using the online questionnaire collected in Nanjing, China, we first analyze the changes of travel frequency, travel distance, and travel duration in these two periods. Then, two ordered logit models are applied to explore the contributing factors of the weekly trip frequency of FFBS users before and after COVID-19. The results show that: (1) While the overall travel duration and travel distance of FFBS users decreased after the pandemic, the trip frequency of FFBS users increased as the travel duration increased. (2) Since COVID-19, attitude perception variables of the comfort level and the low travel price have had significantly positive impacts on the weekly trip frequency of FFBS users. (3) Respondents who use FFBS as a substitution for public transport are more likely to travel frequently in a week after the outbreak of COVID-19. (4) The travel time in off-peak hours of working days, weekends, and holidays has a significantly positive correlation with the trip frequency of FFBS users. Finally, several relevant policy recommendations and management strategies are proposed for the operation and development of FFBS during the similar disruptive public health crisis.

Keywords: free-floating bike sharing; COVID-19; travel frequency; influential factors; ordered logit models (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/11/8710/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/11/8710/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:11:p:8710-:d:1157903

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().