The Association between Travel Demand of Docked Bike-sharing and the Built Environment: Evidence from Seven US Cities

A large number of attempts have explored the association between travel demand of docked bike-sharing (DBS) and the built environment. Yet, empirical findings from various studies have shown inconsistency. To determine whether any built environment factors consistently correlate with DBS travel demand across different scenarios, we conducted a comparative study across seven cities in the United States using the same analytical framework comprising both statistical and geographical models. We found that Healthcare, Financial, Government, and Transportation Points of Interest (POIs) exhibited both positive and negative associations with DBS ridership in most cities, highlighting the spatial heterogeneity within cities. The findings suggested that a one-size-fits-all approach may not be suitable when evaluating the impact of built environment, challenging the conventional belief that a single factor can universally apply to an entire city. Furthermore, Commercial POIs displayed a consistent positive association in Chicago and Los Angeles on working days, as well as in San Francisco and Los Angeles on non-working days, attributed to the vibrant economic activities in these commercial areas. There was also sustained demand for DBS within commercial zones throughout non-working days, respectively. This study provides insights for policy-making efforts aimed at optimizing DBS integration into urban transportation systems.