Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP17114
Authors: Marc Ivaldi; Walter Nez
Abstract: Based on Bike-sharing system (BSS) data for Toulouse, Lyon, and Montreal, we study the Covid-19 impact on relevant variables of BSS use. Our results show significant changes related to longer travel distance, which would be explained by those users who use the BSS at peak hour. Also, after Covid-19 outbreak there is evidence about higher willingness to use the BSS in adverse weather conditions (such as rain and wind), lower substitution with the public transport system in Lyon, and a recovery and even a slight increase of BSS trips for Toulouse and Lyon respectively. In our opinion, these results most likely represent permanent changes in user’ habits, being an excellent opportunity to make specific investments in this system and thus strongly promote the bicycle use and its permanence.
Keywords: bikesharing system; COVID-19 effects
JEL Codes: R40; L91
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| COVID-19 outbreak (H12) | average travel distance per trip (R41) |
| COVID-19 outbreak (H12) | willingness to use BSS under adverse weather conditions (R41) |
| COVID-19 outbreak (H12) | lower substitution of BSS with public transport in Lyon (L91) |
| COVID-19 outbreak (H12) | recovery in the number of BSS trips in Toulouse and Lyon (L93) |