Comparative Analysis of Public Bicycle Usage Patterns between Seoul's ‘Ttareungi’ and New York's ‘Citi Bike’

Abstract

This thesis aims to analyze and compare the factors influencing the usage of public bicycles in Seoul’s ‘Ttareungi’ and New York’s ‘Citi Bike’. These services operate within distinct cultural, environmental, and regional contexts, offering a unique comparative study. A multiple regression analysis, along with a Random Forest analysis, was performed using rental history data from both ‘Ttareungi’ and ‘Citi Bike’ as the dependent variables. Independent variables included environmental factors such as weather and seasonal conditions. The study also assessed how these factors impact bicycle usage behaviors. The analyses highlighted the significant influence of seasonal changes and weekend/holiday variables on public bicycle usage. While both models yielded significant results, the Random Forest analysis demonstrated better accuracy and revealed distinct patterns in the importance of certain variables. The variation in coefficient values and variable importance between the two areas suggests that while environmental factors affect bicycle usage patterns similarly, regional climatic conditions impose distinct influences. This thesis suggests that incorporating variables such as personal and economic characteristics in future research could further enhance the analysis and aid in developing strategies to promote public bicycle use.