How Parking Regulations Enforced with Virtual Geofences Influence Bike-Sharing Demand: A Case Study in China
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Dockless bike-sharing has emerged in recent years as a sustainable mode of transportation, offering convenience and environmental benefits. However, its rapid growth has given rise to challenges such as indiscriminate parking. To tackle this issue, mandatory parking zones enforced through the use of virtual geofences have been widely adopted by governments and bike-sharing companies. Despite their widespread implementation, the impact of such regulations on bike-sharing demand remains largely unexplored. This case study examines whether the introduction of parking regulations influences users' demand for bike-sharing in a medium-sized city in China. Furthermore, the relationships between demand and various potential influencing factors were analyzed using four district-specific negative binomial regression models. To verify the robustness of these findings and assess overall policy effects, a pooled model incorporating all grid cells across the city was also constructed. The results indicate that virtual geofence density is a significant factor in areas where demand changes were observed. Downtown areas are less affected because of their higher virtual geofence density, whereas suburban areas experience a greater negative impact. The findings suggest that increasing the virtual geofence density in suburban areas could mitigate the negative effects of parking regulations. Additionally, implementing a one-size-fits-all approach by transitioning from a dockless mode to a virtual-geofenced mode across all areas may not be optimal. Instead, a hybrid approach, with both parking schemes coexisting in the city, is recommended.
Author: Xiaozhou Ye
Institution: University of Tartu
Language: English
Subfield: Transportation
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,650
OpenAlex ID: W7117370728