Investigating effects of transportation system performances and weather on the use of bike sharing in Toronto

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Bixi Toronto started a commercial bike sharing program in Toronto in 2011 with 1000 bikes and 80 bike stations. Bixi bike users can rent a bike any time for any specific time period. Bixi Toronto is interested in improving their understanding on users' behaviour and choice for biking in Toronto as well as factors that influence such choice. Specially, the effects of transportation level of services, biking infrastructure and weather effects are to be properly understood to device effective and profitable bike sharing business models. This project will use users' bike sharing information of BIXI Toronto to do such investigation. Such information along with transportation network information (road and bike network information) of Toronto and weather information from Environment Canada will be used to model the demand for biking in the Down Town Toronto. Econometric models of choice of using Bixi services, length of usage of the services and membership choices will be developed. Such model will allow investigating effects of bike sharing service attributes (membership rates and conditions), bike infrastructure (bike lanes, bike routes, pedestrian safety etc.) and weather on total usage of Bixi service per months or per year. Such understanding will then be used by Bixi Toronto to develop their future business plan and long-term strategies.