Navigating post-pandemic urban mobility: Unveiling intentions for shared micro-mobility usage across three U.S. cities

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a far-reaching impact on travel patterns, leading to a ubiquitous yet unequal decrease in mobility across transportation modes. Specifically, shared mobility services experienced a shift in demand due to increased concerns about COVID-19 transmission. As we move beyond the pandemic, gaining insights into the evolving travel demand landscape becomes crucial for adapting operations to the new normal of travel behavior. To that end, this study seeks to examine travelers’ intentions to adopt shared e-scooters and bikes in a scenario where COVID-19 risk is no longer a prominent factor. To achieve this, survey data were collected in Fall 2022 from three cities in the Midwest U.S. with different sizes, population densities, and maturity of shared mobility services. The survey solicited respondents’ opinions about their willingness to adopt shared mobility services in a future scenario. Covariance-based multigroup structural equation modeling (MG-SEM) was conducted to compare travel attitudes and perceptions among users from the three cities. Findings highlight the positive influence of attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and social norms on intentions to use micro-mobility. Additionally, the study reveals an unexpected positive influence of COVID-19 risk perception on intentions in one of the three cities, presenting an opportunity for service providers to capitalize on the perceived safety of shared micro-mobility in the future. Information about the intention to use shared mobility can help service operators anticipate a potential rise in demand, inform their operations, implement incentives and employ new market strategies to boost ridership.