Mode Choice Effects on Bike Sharing Systems

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Abstract:

should state where the survey took place / scale of it

Introduction:

Line 26 ff: The first bike-sharing systems (BSS) were introduced around five decades ago. Over the past two to three decades the number of BSS has increased and such systems are nowadays available in many cities around the globe. It is, however, surprising, that parameters for neither BSS-related mode nor route choices are currently available. This results in a lack of knowledge of behavioral patterns. Amongst other purposes, such parameters are needed for an implementation of BSS as a transport mode in transport demand models and to calculate e.g. modal shifts.

Lines 33-34:To estimate such parameters, a survey study was in the field in Germany and collected information on mode- and route choices from around 220 participants in an existing station-based BSS. CAN YOU BE MORE SPECIFIC HERE?

Literature review:

Line 83: In addition REMOVE THE COMMA HERE there are studies, which explicitly investigated the mode choice behavior of cyclists on both private and shared bikes:

Line 85: Their result is REMOVE THE COMMA HERE that bike parking facilities, non-free car parking, and showers at work increase the utility of commuting by bike.

Survey Design and Choice Experiment:

In 2020, the transport association Rhine-Neckar (VRN) decided to evaluate ...

Descriptive statistics and modelling approach:

Line 305: Information on the distribution of selected socio-demographic characteristics and the frequency of chosen transport modes in the choice experiment for both subsamples and the whole sample are presented in Table GIVE NUMBER HERE.

Around 58% of all participants were BSS-users and 42% are non-users. Users were more often males (64.1%) than non-users (41.3%). For the whole sample the gender proportion was more balanced with 54.5% males and 45.5% females. BSS-users belonged remarkably more often to younger age groups than non-users. Again, the proportion between young adults (18-30 years; 47.3%) and middle-aged persons (31-65 years; 41.8%) was more balanced for the whole sample.

Line 326:  Table STATE THE NUMBER HERE presents the empirical distribution of these covariates as included in the experiment.

Line 331: A few trips, however, are long with a maximum of 108 minutes.

Results:

Line 403: The results of all three models, the overall (total) model on all observations, and the segregated model on mandatory and leisure trips, are presented in Table NAME THE NUMBER HERE.

Line 417: Relatively to macadam surface, cobblestones do not show differences in utility (β= 0.004, t-value= 0.028), while asphalt is a more preferred surface type; however, the effect is also not significant (β= 0.239, t-value= 1.634).

Conclusions:

The survey resulted in behavioral parameters, which show the expected signs and allow a straightforward interpretation. It has to be kept in mind REMOVE THE COMMA HERE that the survey was in the field between September 2020 and February 2021. 

References:

[37]: Rose, J.M.; Bliemer, M.C.J. Stated choice experimental design theory: the who, the what and the why. In: Handbook of Choice Modelling (EDITED BY?). Edward Elgar Publishing, 2014, pp. 152–177.

Author Response

Dear reviewer 1,

Thank you for your questions and comments. Your reviews helped to increase the quality of our paper substantially. We addressed each comment with only one exception and highly appreciate your efforts. We hope your comments were understood in the right way and addressed to your satisfaction. Please find all remarks and our answers below.

Reviewer 1:

Abstract: should state where the survey took place / scale of it

• addressed, see tracked changes in abstract.

Line 26 ff: The first bike-sharing systems (BSS) were introduced around five decades ago. Over the past two to three decades the number of BSS has increased and such systems are nowadays available in many cities around the globe. It is, however, surprising, that parameters for neither BSS-related mode nor route choices are currently available. This results in a lack of knowledge of behavioral patterns. Amongst other purposes, such parameters are needed for an implementation of BSS as a transport mode in transport demand models and to calculate e.g. modal shifts.

• addressed, because of minor issue the changes were not tracked.

Lines 33-34:To estimate such parameters, a survey study was in the field in Germany and collected information on mode- and route choices from around 220 participants in an existing station-based BSS. CAN YOU BE MORE SPECIFIC HERE?

• addressed, see tracked changes in introduction.

Line 83: In addition REMOVE THE COMMA HERE there are studies, which explicitly investigated the mode choice behavior of cyclists on both private and shared bikes:

• addressed, because of minor issue the changes were not tracked.

Line 85: Their result is REMOVE THE COMMA HERE that bike parking facilities, non-free car parking, and showers at work increase the utility of commuting by bike.

• addressed, because of minor issue the changes were not tracked.

Survey Design and Choice Experiment: In 2020, the transport association Rhine-Neckar (VRN) decided to evaluate ...

• addressed, because of minor issue the changes were not tracked.

Descriptive statistics and modelling approach: Line 305: Information on the distribution of selected socio-demographic characteristics and the frequency of chosen transport modes in the choice experiment for both subsamples and the whole sample are presented in Table GIVE NUMBER HERE.

• addressed, because of minor issue the changes were not tracked.

Around 58% of all participants were BSS-users and 42% are non-users. Users were more often males (64.1%) than non-users (41.3%). For the whole sample the gender proportion was more balanced with 54.5% males and 45.5% females. BSS-users belonged remarkably more often to younger age groups than non-users. Again, the proportion between young adults (18-30 years; 47.3%) and middle-aged persons (31-65 years; 41.8%) was more balanced for the whole sample.

• addressed, because of minor issue the changes were not tracked.

Line 326:  Table STATE THE NUMBER HERE presents the empirical distribution of these covariates as included in the experiment.

• addressed, because of minor issue the changes were not tracked.

Line 331: A few trips, however, are long with a maximum of 108 minutes.

• addressed, because of minor issue the changes were not tracked.

Results: Line 403: The results of all three models, the overall (total) model on all observations, and the segregated model on mandatory and leisure trips, are presented in Table NAME THE NUMBER HERE.

• addressed, because of minor issue the changes were not tracked.

Line 417: Relatively to macadam surface, cobblestones do not show differences in utility (β= 0.004, t-value= 0.028), while asphalt is a more preferred surface type; however, the effect is also not significant (β= 0.239, t-value= 1.634).

• addressed, because of minor issue the changes were not tracked.

Conclusions: The survey resulted in behavioral parameters, which show the expected signs and allow a straightforward interpretation. It has to be kept in mind REMOVE THE COMMA HERE that the survey was in the field between September 2020 and February 2021. 

• addressed, because of minor issue the changes were not tracked.

References: [37]: Rose, J.M.; Bliemer, M.C.J. Stated choice experimental design theory: the who, the what and the why. In: Handbook of Choice Modelling (EDITED BY?). Edward Elgar Publishing, 2014, pp. 152–177.

• addressed, because of minor issue the changes were not tracked.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

The following are my conclusions:
- the paper describes an interesting topic;
- the contributions of the paper are based on realistic and referenced assumptions;
- the problem in the manuscript is well defined, and the objectives are clear;
- the paper adequately put the progress it reports in the context of previous works, representative referencing and introductory discussion
- the conclusions and potential impacts of the paper are made clear. 

Increase the bibliography:

bibliographic suggestions

A Novel Acceleration Signal Processing Procedure for Cycling Safety Assessment

E Murgano, R Caponetto, G Pappalardo, SD Cafiso, A Severino

Sensors 21 (12), 4183

Author Response

Dear reviewer 2

Thank you for your questions and comments. Your reviews helped to increase the quality of our paper substantially. We addressed each comment with only one exception and highly appreciate your efforts. We hope your comments were understood in the right way and addressed to your satisfaction. Please find all remarks and our answers below.

Reviewer 2:

The following are my conclusions:
- the paper describes an interesting topic;
- the contributions of the paper are based on realistic and referenced assumptions;
- the problem in the manuscript is well defined, and the objectives are clear;
- the paper adequately put the progress it reports in the context of previous works, representative referencing and introductory discussion
- the conclusions and potential impacts of the paper are made clear. 

• Thank you!

Increase the bibliography:

bibliographic suggestions

 A Novel Acceleration Signal Processing Procedure for Cycling Safety Assessment

E Murgano, R Caponetto, G Pappalardo, SD Cafiso, A Severino

Sensors 21 (12), 4183

• addressed, see tracked changes in Conclusions and Literature.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

This is an interesting study about bike sharing systems.

Figure 2, axis y (missing title)

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Figure 6: The letters of the figure are small 

In the conclusions section please report briefly using bullet points if possible the basic conclusions of this study. 

Author Response

Dear reviewer 3

Thank you for your questions and comments. Your reviews helped to increase the quality of our paper substantially. We addressed each comment with only one exception and highly appreciate your efforts. We hope your comments were understood in the right way and addressed to your satisfaction. Please find all remarks and our answers below.

Reviewer 3:

This is an interesting study about bike sharing systems.

• Thank you!

Figure 2, axis y (missing title)

• addressed, because of minor issue the changes were not tracked.

Line 270, Table ... (missing number)

• addressed, because of minor issue the changes were not tracked.

Line 283, Figure; .. (missing number)

• addressed, because of minor issue the changes were not tracked.

Line 289, Figure .. (missing number)

• addressed, because of minor issue the changes were not tracked.

Line 302, Figure .. (missing number)

• addressed, because of minor issue the changes were not tracked.

Line 305, Table ... (missing number)

• addressed, because of minor issue the changes were not tracked.

Line 326, Table ... (missing number)

• addressed, because of minor issue the changes were not tracked.

Figure 6: The letters of the figure are small 

• addressed, because of minor issue the changes were not tracked.

In the conclusions section please report briefly using bullet points if possible the basic conclusions of this study. 

• addressed, see tracked changes in Conclusions.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 4 Report

Very carefully and methodically implemented research. 

Suggestion: It would be interesting to implement a market simulation. What would be the effect of a positive scenario and a negative scenario on the number of bike rentals, based on the status quo. 

Author Response

Dear reviewer 4

Thank you for your questions and comments. Your reviews helped to increase the quality of our paper substantially. We addressed each comment with only one exception and highly appreciate your efforts. We hope your comments were understood in the right way and addressed to your satisfaction. Please find all remarks and our answers below.

Reviewer 4:

Very carefully and methodically implemented research.

• Thank you!

Suggestion: It would be interesting to implement a market simulation. What would be the effect of a positive scenario and a negative scenario on the number of bike rentals, based on the status quo. 

• We did not address this comment as it is not in the scope of the presented work. However, your suggestion is interesting and we thank you for the idea. We will consider it when approaching next working steps.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf