Study: Bike share users ride more, drive less

WASHINGTON, D.C. (BRAIN) Monday June 18 2012 3:00 PM PST—The results of a new study detailing the usage of Capital Bikeshare, the 1,500-bike rental scheme in Washington, D.C. and Arlington County, Virginia, were released today. And the findings show that bike share has impacted the way people get around town and whether they do so by car, bike or other public transportation.

According to findings, 80 percent of those who said they used the Capital Bikeshare bikes said they bike more often as a result of joining the program and four in 10 said they drove less. Many bike share users also reduced their use of taxi (56 percent), Metrorail (47 percent) and bus (39 percent). Respondents reported saving an average of $15.75 per week on personal transportation costs as a result of bike share use.

Still, most of the bike share trips were for non-work purposes, the study found.

The survey was administered online in November and December of last year to the program’s 18,000 members and drew more than 5,000 respondents.

More data found in the full survey report and executive summary and at the Capital Bikeshare website.

The report details how people are using Capital Bikeshare to get around in the District and Arlington, the impact of the program and the satisfaction of users.