The strengths and weaknesses of bike sharing as an alternative mode during disruptive public health crisis: A qualitative analysis on the users' motivations during COVID-19.

The coronavirus pandemic may provoke an increase on our overreliance on private car usage due to a permanent loss of confidence on public transport (PT), threatening current decarbonization efforts of the transport sector. Thus, alternative modes like bike sharing systems (BSS) must be considered. In this study, through conducting 16 semi-structured interviews and by employing thematic analysis, we explore the users' perceptions of using Lisbon's BSS during this pandemic. Our findings show that the observed decrease on BSS usage during the COVID-19 lockdowns was mostly due to mandatory teleworking than to a perceived infection risk. Even during the height of the pandemic, users still turned to BSS to fulfil their essential trip needs. Users considered bike sharing to have a lower infection risk comparatively to PT, with some users joining BSS during the pandemic to specifically avoid using PT. Furthermore, users associate riding a shared bicycle with a pleasant activity that reduces their travel times and costs, while also providing health and environmental benefits. Consequently, bike sharing contributes to the resilience of transport systems by providing its users with a transport alternative perceived to have a low infection risk, ensuring their mobility needs during disruptive events. Findings from this research provide evidence that support policies, such as, expanding BSS coverage areas, optimizing rebalancing operations, introducing shared e-bikes, and implementing segregated cycling lanes alongside BSS. These policies may be particularly effective at increasing the competitiveness of BSS as an alternative mode during disruptive public health crises and beyond.

The role of bike sharing during the coronavirus pandemic: An analysis of the mobility patterns and perceptions of Lisbon's GIRA users.

COVID-19 has dramatically impacted urban mobility, of which public transport (PT) has been particularly affected. With PT ridership plummeting due to infection fears and many people returning to work, there is a danger of a steep rise in car use that would exacerbate environmental and health problems. Therefore, other modes such as bike sharing should be considered as potential alternatives during the coronavirus pandemic. This study focuses on assessing how coronavirus has impacted bike sharing by implementing a travel behaviour survey to the users of GIRA, the bike sharing system (BSS) of Lisbon. While the coronavirus has led some to decrease the frequency of use or quit the system, other users have increased the usage or joined GIRA during the pandemic. Furthermore, most users who have quit or decreased the usage of GIRA justify their decision not so much on avoiding the risk of infection (although for some it is an important reason) but on having stopped commuting due to COVID-19. The survey has also revealed substantial changes not only on the usage patterns of GIRA users but also on their relationship with other modes of transport. While before the pandemic, most respondents were shifting from PT to GIRA, that percentage has declined, with an increase on the share of users replacing walking, private car, and personal cycling. Moreover, the motivations for using bike sharing related with avoiding PT and maintaining a social distance during the trip have gained more relevance. Concurrently, the perceived safety of using PT has drastically declined, and while the perceived safety of using GIRA has also decreased it was in a much smaller scale. Policy insights can be derived from this research on how bike sharing can contribute to a more sustainable and resilient urban transport system. During infectious public health crises such as COVID-19, BSS can be a viable transport alternative, not only providing the population with an affordable mode of transport where social distancing can be maintained in most of the trip but also mitigating a modal shift from PT to the private car.

The motivations for using bike sharing during the COVID-19 pandemic: Insights from Lisbon.

Urban mobility has been severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, with public transport (PT) particularly affected due to infection risks and fears. The promotion of alternative modes of transport such as bike sharing systems (BSS) has gained a new drive as a possible way of providing an alternative to PT and limit a potential surge in private car use. In this study, we provide insights on the motivations for using bike sharing during the COVID-19 pandemic through a survey to the BSS users of Lisbon (entitled GIRA). Before the coronavirus pandemic, the most influential motivations were those connected to the BSS' Service Coverage & Quality (such as the convenient location of BSS stations near the users' destinations or the availability of shared e-bikes) as well as to the Personal Interests & Well-being of BSS users (namely the pleasure of cycling as well as the perceived environmental and health benefits). With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, although the motivations of Service Coverage & Quality continue to be the most valued by respondents, the motivations associated with using BSS to avoid PT and to maintain a social distance during the trip are now as important as the motivations linked to Personal Interests & Well-being. Furthermore, new users who have joined bike sharing during COVID-19 give more importance to the Social Influence (such as seeing other people using the system or the influence of their social circle) comparatively to those who were already users before the pandemic and continue to use BSS. This research provides evidence on the importance of bike sharing to the resilience of urban transport systems, particularly during disruptive public health crises. It supports that BSS should continue to operate during the coronavirus pandemic as such systems offer a transport alternative to PT that is perceived to be capable of preserving a physical distance.