Emission reduction factor (ERF) of urban bike sharing

Decarbonizing urban transportation centers on vehicle electrification. The strategy reduces emissions, but additional measures are likely needed to meet net-zero targets. As an alternative, this study develops a modeling platform that quantifies the emission reductions achievable through bike-sharing systems, focusing on how effectively they can shift trips away from motorized vehicles and complement electric passenger vehicle adoption. Machine learning techniques, combined with the MOVES mobile source emission inventory model, were applied to simulate mode substitution patterns and quantify the resulting emission reductions, using data from Vancouver’s bike-sharing program and regional trip diaries. The findings indicate that each bike in the system reduces approximately 115–125 kg of CO 2 per year. The results show that, within the current system, 18 shared bikes yield an annual operational tailpipe CO 2 reduction equal to removing one fossil-fuel car. In a highly utilized bike-share system, this equivalency decreases to around 5 bikes, translating to a 3.4% CO 2 reduction, showing the great potentials of bike sharing in reducing the carbon footprint of urban transportation.