The Development, Characteristics and Impact of Bike Sharing Systems:

A Literature Review

Abstract

Bicycle sharing systems (BSSs) have attracted worldwide attention as representatives of the new, green public transportation systems, and many types of research have examined the topic. However, the research so far is relatively scattered, because BSS has undergone several technical upgrades and expansions, and the content of some articles may no longer apply to today's society. Therefore, it is necessary to review and summarise the research on BSSs so far. This article aims to collect and summarise the development, characteristics, and impact of BSSs through an extensive review of relevant literature. The article collects and analyses existing academic literature, online materials, and official reports. It is found that BSSs attract people with the same characteristics, and Western and Eastern users have different characteristics; some common factors promote people's use of BSSs in different regions. The government or enterprises introduce BSSs for different purposes: for reducing congestion or for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Most of the impacts caused by BSSs are positive, but some impacts, such as model substitution and environmental benefits, do not seem to achieve the expected goals. Through a literature review, this article provides references for people who are interested in conducting further research in this area in the future.