Public bicycle as a feeder mode to rail transit in China: The role of gender, age, income, trip purpose, and bicycle theft experience

TLDR

Public bicycles combined with rail transit offer new sustainable transport opportunities in Chinese cities. The study investigates factors influencing public bicycle use for rail transit access via an intercept survey near Nanjing stations. The authors estimated mode‑choice models with five alternatives (car, bus, walk, private bike, public bike) to assess how demographics, trip characteristics, and station environment affect public bicycle use. Results show that female, older, and low‑income commuters are less likely to use public bicycles, while those with theft experience and school/work trips are more likely; land‑use factors are largely insignificant except density boosting walking, raising equity concerns and prompting policy recommendations for equitable public bicycle integration.

Abstract

A marriage between public bicycle and rail transit presents new opportunities for sustainable transportation in Chinese cities. To examine determinants of public bicycle usage for rail transit access, an intercept survey of feeder mode choice among rail transit users was conducted near rail stations in Nanjing, China. Mode choice models were estimated with five feeder mode alternatives, including car, bus, walk, private bike, and public bike. By differentiating between public and private bicycle modes in the mode choice models, the study reveals the effects of personal demographics, trip characteristics, and station environments on public bicycle usage for rail transit access. Results show that female, older, and low-income rail commuters are less likely to use public bicycle to access rail transit. Rail commuters with bicycle theft experience and making school- or work-related trips are more likely to use public bicycle to access rail transit. Land use variables are largely insignificant in this study except that density shows a positive relationship with walking to rail transit. The results on demographic differences raise equity concerns when it comes to investing in public bicycle systems. Policy implications are discussed for Chinese cities to equitably boost public bicycle integration with rail transit.