A brief study exploring social equity within bicycle share programs

Abstract

Often subsidized with public funds, it is expected that bicycle share programs be socially equitable, accessible to, and usable by all residents within their service areas. This study suggests simple indicators that can be used to assess equitability of bicycle share programs. We apply the indicators to membership survey and website marketing materials from bicycle share programs in three US cities. Descriptive analyses found bicycle sharers are largely educated, affluent, younger Caucasian males, a demographic that does not reflect the composition of bicycle share service areas. Website image analyses found that bicycle share users portrayed on program websites were more likely to be white (vs. non-white) but the distribution by sex and age was roughly proportional to the composition of bicycle share service areas. Findings suggest that bicycle share membership does not equitably reflect the communities where programs are operating, and that marketing communication practices may be a contributing factor.

Keywords:

• Bike
• Bicycle share
• Access
• Social environment
• Social equity
• Planning
• Resource allocation
• Sociodemographic factors

Acknowledgment

The authors are grateful to Chris Eatough, Nicole Freeman, Katie Monroe, Emily Stapleton, Aaron Ritz, and Mitch Vars for their assistance in developing this project as well as others who have read a version of this manuscript.