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

多伦多Bixi于2011年在多伦多启动了一个商业自行车共享计划，拥有1000辆自行车和80个自行车站。Bixi自行车用户可以在任何特定时间段随时租用自行车。Bixi Toronto有兴趣提高他们对多伦多用户骑自行车的行为和选择以及影响此类选择的因素的理解。特别是，要正确理解交通服务水平、自行车基础设施和天气影响的影响，才能设计出有效和有利可图的共享单车商业模式。该项目将利用比锡多伦多共享单车用户的信息来做这样的调查。这些信息将与多伦多的交通网络信息(道路和自行车网络信息)以及加拿大环境部的天气信息一起用于模拟多伦多市中心的自行车需求。将开发使用Bixi服务的选择、服务使用时间和成员选择的计量模型。这样的模型将允许调查自行车共享服务属性(会员率和条件)、自行车基础设施(自行车道、自行车道、行人安全等)的影响。以及每月或每年碧溪服务总使用量的天气。这样的理解将被多伦多必和必拓用来制定他们未来的商业计划和长期战略。

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.