Micromobility and the social integration of migrant population: Empirical evidence from bike sharing

Abstract

This paper utilizes the China Migrants Dynamic Survey data spanning 2011–2018 to conduct a systematic analysis of the impact of dockless bike sharing on the social integration of migrants. Employing a staggered DID approach that exploits the exogenous entry of bike sharing across cities, the study reveals significant enhancements in the willingness of migrants for social integration. The underlying mechanisms include improvement of economic capabilities, facilitation of local social ties, and increased accessibility to public services. After robustness checks, these findings remain valid. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that the entry of bike sharing has a greater impact on urban-to-urban migration, highly educated migrants, inter-provincial movement, and those in the initial stages of migration. From the community perspective, the impact is less pronounced in communities with a higher proportion of migrants and full-time coordinators. This research contributes to the literature on the externalities of sharing economy and augments the discourse on social integration from a transportation perspective, offering significant theoretical and policy implications for enhancing migrant integration into urban life and alleviating social exclusion among transport disadvantaged groups.