Bike-sharing: History, Impacts, Models of Provision, and Future

TLDR: The author covers the history of bike-sharing from the early 1st generation program to present day 3rd generation programs, presenting a detailed examination of models of provision, with benefits and detriments of each, and a description of capital and operating costs.

Abstract: This paper discusses the history, impacts, models of provision, and future of bike-sharing, or public bicycle programs. The author covers the history of bike-sharing from the early 1st generation program to present day 3rd generation programs, presenting a detailed examination of models of provision, with benefits and detriments of each, and a description of capital and operating costs. In the government model, the locality operates the bike-sharing program must as it would any other transit service. The university model has the educational institution providing the service, most likely in a campus setting. The non-profit model has an organization that was either expressly created for the operation of the bike-sharing service or one that folds the bike-sharing service into its existing interests. With the advertising company model, companies offer a bike-sharing program to a jurisdiction, usually in exchange for the right to use public space to display revenue-generating advertisements. And in the for-profit model, a private company provides the service with limited or no government involvements. The author maintains that there is no one ideal model that is appropriate for all situations. The third-generation of bike-sharing brought the use of smartcards, mobile phones, and kiosks with screens; the fourth generation will be distinguished by improved efficiency, sustainability, and usability. This will be achieved by improving distribution of bikes, installation, powering of stations, tracking, offering pedal assistance bikes, and new business models. The author discusses each of these improvements and concludes that the era of bike-sharing has just begun.