Change of Bike-share Usage in Five Cities of United States during COVID-19

Abstract

This study explores how bike-share usage varied over the six months of the coronavirus pandemic (March’20-August’20) in five US cities. First, it finds that in most of the months, the changes (both increase or decrease) of bike-share usage from the preceding months are significantly higher in central tracts than peripheral tracts. This finding has more statistical significance for cities that are popular for biking (e.g. DC, Boston, Portland). Second, biking is found to be positively associated with cities’ non-work trip rate and people’s COVID exposure and it was diminished with more people maintaining social distance and staying at home.