Exploring Shared Micro mobility as an Alternative Transportation Option: Opportunities and Challenges in U.S. Mid-sized Cities and Small Towns

With over half a billion trips taken in the United States (U.S.) since 2010, shared micromobility¹ has quickly developed as an alternative to private automobiles, providing safer, cheaper, and more accessible ways for people to get around². In tandem with the surge in shared micromobility, there is an exponential increase in privately owned micromobility devices, particularly in electric-assist bicycles(e-bikes) and scooters³. Micromobility’s alignment with key objectives and policies of U.S. transportation agencies is evident, as it has the potential to capture a new market of active transportation users and connect people to transit. Several cities and towns across the U.S. are exploring shared micromobility as an alternative transportation option for trips that are too far to walk but too short to drive. Because micromobility is still a relatively new and emerging mobility option, most transportation agencies lack data-driven tools to measure the costs and benefits of shared micromobility systems. Agencies also lack guidance on integrating shared micromobility in the planning and designing of their transportation systems. Besides, micromobility is generally discussed with examples from major cities, with little to no discussion on the efficacy in mid-sized cities and small towns in rural areas. That is partly because micromobility modes thrive on high economies of density that rural areas lack. This research aims to study the usage patterns of shared micromobility in mid-sized and small cities. Specifically, we aim to answer the following questions: (1) Who is using shared micromobility, and for what kinds of trips? (2) What factors affect shared micromobility device ridership? (3) Is the shared micromobility system adequately serving mid-sized cities and small towns? (4) What factors affect the safety of micromobility device users?