What travel modes do shared e-scooters displace? A review of recent research findings 

Abstract
E-scooter sharing has been an emerging transportation landscape in cities around the world. The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) reported that 84 million shared micromobility trips (including both bikesharing and e-scooter sharing systems) were taken in 2018 in the United States. Shared e-scooter rides accounted for 45.8% of these trips (NACTO, 2018). Micromobility (defined as any mode of transportation via very light vehicles —including, but not limited to, electric scooters, electric skateboards and bicycles) is changing transportation in various ways. For example, it increases mobility options, can reduce commuting times and carbon emissions, while it also promotes the use of active transportation modes and creates opportunities for people who live in the city to exercise. Depending on the way micromobility options are deployed, they can serve as a way to enhance accessibility and quality of life in cities (Shaheen et al., 2019).

Against this background, there is a need to improve our understanding of the various population segments that currently engage with shared micromobility modes (particularly shared e-scooter), or have a propensity to do so in future, as well as of the different impacts that the adoption of these modes may exert on cities. This research is intended to make a first step towards delineating (and as a second step, influencing) the uptake of micromobility as a mode choice within the broader sustainability paradigm for the transportation sector. In this study, we analyze a variety of data collected via two different channels: 1) Survey data collected via a smartphone link, including demographic and psychographic data, self-reported travel behavior and preferences relating to the use of shared micromobility, and 2) data provided by shared micromobility companies, pertaining to users that have authorized access to their trip records. The analyses address a number of research questions, including (a) understanding the socio-economic, psychographic, and other characteristics of current micromobility users; (b) identifying the changes in the characteristics of user groups over time (e.g., innovators, early adopters, later adopters, laggards, emergence of “super-users”); (c) exploring the impact of micromobility adoption on the level of use of other travel modes in cities. Based on the results of this study, we provide suggestions to transportation planners that may enhance the adoption of micromobility across different population segments and promote behavioral changes that are desirable from an environmental and sustainability standpoint (e.g., switching from car trips to e-scooters). We also offer insights to policy makers on how to more effectively facilitate these changes through the use of tailored communication strategies and positive incentives.

Contribution to Sustainability Topic of the Conference (required in the call for abstracts):
This study provides critical insights into the way micromobility is already impacting the transportation sector and society, in various geographic contexts and for various segments of travelers. Furthermore, the study can help planners deploy micromobility in ways that are more conducive to reduced environmental impacts from transportation and improved sustainability and livability of cities in the future.