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Free Wheel, Free Will! The Effects of Bikeshare Systems on Urban Commuting Patterns in the U.S.
Author(s) -
Xu Dafeng
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of policy analysis and management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.898
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1520-6688
pISSN - 0276-8739
DOI - 10.1002/pam.22216
Subject(s) - work (physics) , panel data , occupancy , geography , survey data collection , modal shift , transport engineering , regional science , demographic economics , economics , econometrics , engineering , statistics , civil engineering , mathematics , public transport , mechanical engineering
Urban bikeshare systems have become increasingly popular in the U.S. in recent years. In this paper, I examine the effects of bikeshare systems on patterns of commuting to and from work in U.S. cities. To study this, I link cities across 2008 through 2016 American Community Survey (ACS) data and estimate the effects of bikeshare systems using both individual‐level ACS records and city panel data. Event‐study estimates suggest that bikeshare systems lead to a rise in bicycle commuting to and from work, and the effects of bikeshare systems are statistically and economically significant. I also find evidence of modal shifts after the introduction of bikeshare systems: While bicycle commuting rates increase, there is a decline in automobile commuting to and from work.