Ridership Analysis of the Public Bicycle Sharing System in Ahmedabad

Abstract

This study examines the Public Bicycle Sharing System (PBSS) in Ahmedabad, the patterns of ridership, user behavior, and spatial distribution in various density zones based on the data provided by MYBYK. In 2023, 577,228 rides were registered, and high ridership areas were concentered around educational and recreational locations, which recorded 350,000 rides in 132 stations. In the high-density zones, the analysis indicates that most of the preference is for the short-distance ride, 55 percent of the total number of trips are made by zero-displacement rides, which is a good indicator that the trend is shifting towards leisure cycling. The monthly ridership trends show some significant variations, with the highest number of 68,529 rides in March, indicating that significant operation policies should be implemented when demand is very high. The dominance of short-term subscriptions (87.3%) indicates the users' preference for flexibility, whereas the number of rides longer than 5 km (424,893 trips) shows a growing tendency towards longer trips. Furthermore, a multinomial logistic regression model was used to identify factors affecting the use of PBSS, with emphasis on the relationships between the type of subscription, length of trip, time of use, and weather conditions. The model findings indicate that short-term users tend to have shorter rides, and the length of the trip is highly influenced by climatic conditions. The results can be useful to policymakers and urban planners to optimize the PBSS operations and improve sustainable mobility in Ahmedabad and other urban settings.