An environmental benefit analysis of bike sharing in New York City

Abstract Bike-sharing systems provide the public with more transport choices. To elaborate more effectively and comprehensively bike sharing's prospective contribution to urban sustainable development, a quantitative estimation of bike sharing's environmental benefits is performed through a case study of New York City's bike-sharing systems. Using a long-term series of big data, the environmental benefits of bike sharing in New York City are evaluated from a spatiotemporal perspective. Data on a total of 48 million bicycle trips between January 2014 and December 2017 are analysed. During 2014-2017, bike travellers saved 13,370 t of oil equivalent, and decreased 30,070 t of carbon emissions and 80 t of nitrogen oxides. Evaluation of gender dynamics reveals that men produced greater environmental benefits through the bike-sharing initiative.