There are now over 2,000 cities with a bike share program. Bike Share examines all the major developments in the 50-year history of bike share. The book provides a detailed focus on contemporary bike share programs, including many of the most prominent systems, such as those in Paris, London, and New York, as well as the rapidly emerging dockless bike share sector. This book also addresses how rapid technological innovation, particularly in terms of mobile internet devices and electric assist bicycles may change the face of not just cycling, but urban mobility more generally.
By the end of 2018 it was estimated that there are more than 20 million bicycles in the global bike share fleet, with most of these dockless, coming online only in the last three years. Consequently, research examining bike share has not kept pace with the rapid deployment of this new form of urban mobility.
Bike Share addresses a number of key themes such as:
- The urban age, contextualising bike share within a wider urbanism movement and how it sits within the growing sharing economy.
- The impact of bike share, looking at systems in China, Europe, North America and Australia to see how these programs have changed travel patterns and consequent impact on car use, emissions, congestion, public health and safety.
- The bike share business model, including how ride sourcing services like Uber and Lyft are beginning to integrate their business with bike share service providers.
- Public reaction to bike share.
- Bike share gone wrong, looking at systems that have failed to achieve their ridership estimates.
- And the future of bike share including public transport smart card integration, mobile payments, and electric assist bicycles.
The book provides scholars, city planners, transportation practitioners and students with a resource that captures the most pertinent scientific findings and practical lessons that have been from bike share programs around the world.