Study Reveals How People Link Bike Share and Transit

Bike share changes the way people use transit, depending on the time and the place.

1 minute read

December 11, 2015, 1:00 PM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


"A new survey by researchers at UC Berkeley [pdf] and published in Access Magazine sheds light on how bike-share systems interact with transit," according to an article by Angie Schmitt.

Surveying 10,000 bike-share riders in Montreal, Toronto, Minneapolis-Saint Paul, and Washington, D.C., the study finds that the "effect of bike-share on transit travel habits varied according to the context." Schmitt explains more specifically: "in areas with sparse transit, bike-share offers an important 'last-mile' connection. In areas with dense transit networks, bike-share serves as more of a substitute for transit, relieving crowding on packed buses and trains."

The article goes into more detail about the findings of the study in each of the locations studied. It's important to note that earlier studies examined the effects of bike share on car trips, while the new survey focused specifically on transit use.

Wednesday, December 9, 2015 in Streetsblog USA

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