The relationship between operational profitability and social benefits of e-scooters - A case study of first and last-mile connections to public transit using e-scooters

Abstract

E-scooters are a mobility service mainly used in urban areas for short distances. The primary purpose of using e-scooters is the fast and reliable aspect. They increase mobility and can be part of a multi-modal transportation solution. Surveys show that escooters have both substituting and complimenting effects on the transportation system. Mostly walking is replaced by e-scooters, followed by either car or public transit. Around one-third of the people in San Francisco use an e-scooter to connect to public transit. One concern about free-floating e-scooters is the parking aspect, as inappropriate parking negatively affects public spaces, authorities, and the passability of people with disabilities. The relationship between the operational profitability and social benefits of e-scooters was studied in this thesis to investigate the effects of using e-scooters as a first and lastmile connection to public transit. A literature review was conducted to investigate the users’ behaviour, focusing on the benefits of using e-scooters. The research focused on a study area in Gothenburg located outside the city centre, lacking access to the trunk and express public transit network. Computer tools helped investigate and simulate the first and last-mile connections considering the whole perspective. Data about the scooter's battery level, location and price were used to analyse the operational profitability. The goal was to generalise the conclusions to other areas with similar characteristics as the study area, solving the first and last-mile problem of public transit. The result shows that e-scooters increase the catchment area of the trunk and express network compared to walking for five minutes. The entire study area is almost reached within eight minutes using an e-scooter, but five minutes is optimal for achieving the highest social benefits and profitability. First and last-mile trips with e-scooters to public transit are around seven minutes faster than walking but at a higher cost, considering the whole perspective of trips within Gothenburg’s metropolitan area. Parking spots and racks help control the parking of e-scooters, and these spots must be placed within a specific acceptable walking distance, providing easy access to any site. The result also shows that e-scooters are operationally profitable in the study area.