Analysis of the Choice Behaviour towards Docked and Dockless Shared Bicycles based on User Experience

The major cities of China have experienced massive growth in the number and usage of dockless shared bicycle systems, such as Mobike and Ofo, which have replaced the traditional docked bicycle systems that are heavily regulated by local governments. However, docked bicycle systems are still in operation, especially in small and medium-sized cities that have docked shared bicycle systems run by the local government. This study aims to reveal the user choice behaviours for these two shared bicycle systems from the perspective of user experience and to find win-win strategies for the two systems, based on a case study of the Shunde district in Foshan city. The structural equation model and binary logit model are employed to identify the impact factors of the choice behaviours. It is found that user experience plays a key role in the use intention for two kinds of bicycles, including factors such as convenience, riding experience, and level of service. Age is the most important indicator distinguishing the user groups, as older people prefer docked bicycles while younger people prefer dockless ones. Docked and dockless shared bicycle systems operate together harmoniously in Shunde as they satisfy the demands of different user groups with little overlap. It is suggested that a new shared bicycle system, which combines the advantages of both docked and dockless shared bicycles, would be a better solution for small and mid-size cities