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Posted 8/18
Shared-use mobility services involve the sharing of vehicles, bicycles, or other transportation modes, and offer users short-term access to transportation on an as-needed basis. Examples of these services include ridesourcing provided by transportation network companies such as Uber and Lyft, carsharing, and bikesharing. While some forms of shared-use mobility, such as carsharing, have existed in the United States for several decades, this family of transportation modes has experienced rapid growth in recent years.
This series of reports, prepared for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, explore the characteristics and use of these services and their implications for the broader transportation system in greater Boston.
- The Shared-Use Mobility Services Literature Review describes different types of shared-mobility services and highlights those that operate or have operated in the Boston region. It summarizes available research about who uses shared-use mobility services, when they use them, and why, as well as research on how these services may affect use of transit and single-occupant vehicle usage and ownership. This literature review also discusses public policy issues related to shared-use modes, such as those pertaining to equity, competition for public-sector resources, land use, and congestion.
- The Exploring Shared Use Mobility through Hubway Bikeshare report takes a closer look at one shared-use mobility service in particular: bikesharing. This report explores the characteristics and behaviors of Hubway bikeshare system riders using 2015 member survey data, and uses Hubway trip records from 2015 to explore usage of this bikesharing system by season, user type, day of the week, time of day, and geographic location. It also includes an analysis of Hubway’s potential to complement or compete with Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority fixed-route transit service for particular pairs of trip origins and destinations. (Note: Since this report was completed, Hubway has become Blue Bikes.)
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