Evaluation of the hybrid model of public bicycle-sharing operation and private bicycle parking management

• Public bicycle-sharing programs result in social benefits.
• Not all public bicycle-sharing programs are highly profitable.
• We propose the hybrid model for sustainable public bicycle-sharing management.
• The hybrid model may generate profits with a number of positive outcomes.

The increasing uptake of public bicycle-sharing programs (PBSPs) worldwide bespeaks their perceived positive contribution to sustainable mobility. However, scholarly literature that examines the different PBSP operation models and their appropriateness to specific settings has remained limited. This paper redresses this gap by addressing three key questions: (1) What types of PBSP operation models have been implemented so far? (2) How can we evaluate each type of operation model? (3) Using specific case contexts, what alternative operation models are available to enable the sustainable management of PBSPs? Our results revealed significant variability in the number of available bicycle docking stations in different cities׳ programs; the number of docking stations can range from single figures to over 1000. For instance, some Japanese cities display high proportions of private bicycle use but accommodate only small-scale PBSPs. Although models for PBSPs of all sizes are thought to result in certain social benefits, larger projects tend to be more profitable than smaller ones. However, the application of the hybrid model of PBSP operation and private bicycle parking management raises the profitability of small-scale models, rendering them more appropriate for implementation with a number of positive outcomes.