Shared micromobility services involve shared-use fleets of small, fully or partially human-powered vehicles such as bikes, e-bikes and e-scooters. Shared micromobility services are either operating or being planned in cities and regions across Canada, reflecting a range of service models from fully public to fully private, and diverse approaches to implementation.
The development of shared micromobility services is complex, and involves rapidly evolving technologies, regulatory environments, and perspectives on how to balance public and private interests. In the absence of a national-level synthesis of Canadian experiences, outcomes and lessons learned, many agencies have conducted independent research and adapted models from other cities that may or may not be optimal for their context.
OBJECTIVES
This project will synthesize and document the experiences of Canadian organizations, so that they may be shared with others that are studying, planning, implementing or managing shared micromobility services. It will capture and communicate lessons learned from Canadian stakeholders about the various types of shared micromobility services, their roles within the growing spectrum of mobility options, where key opportunities exist for each, and how they can make transportation systems more efficient, effective, equitable, safe and sustainable.
The main project deliverable will be a comprehensive but focused final report that synthesizes Canadian practice and experience in planning, delivering and evaluating shared micromobility services. The final report will:
- Present a concise inventory of past, present or planned shared micromobility initiatives in Canada, with key operational statistics for each (e.g. service model, device/equipment types, number of operators, service area size, fleet size, usage, public capital and operating costs).
- Introduce key topics of interest to Canadian stakeholders that emerged from the surveys and interviews, explaining why they were selected from the long list of possible topics.
- For each key topic, present a synthesis of Canadian practice and experience that highlights:
- The range of observed approaches, noting the opportunities and challenges arising from those approaches in different contexts
- Priority approaches based on experience, highlighting any that depart from international best practice (e.g. from NACTO, North American Bikeshare & Scootershare Association, northern Europe); and
- Implications/considerations for shared micromobility service performance, policy and/or regulation at local, provincial or federal levels
