University students' perspectives on micromobility: An evaluation based on e-scooters

Öz

While people's expectations and needs affect their behavior and preferences, technological developments increase the options they can choose from. One of these areas has been the field of transportation, which has been offering environmentally friendly options such as e-scooters and e-bikes in recent years. These new transportation options, called micromobility, are becoming increasingly popular, especially among young people. In this study, the opinions of university students about micromobility, with an emphasis on e-scooters, were investigated. Using a structured interview method, 10 female and 10 male students studying at a maritime university were asked about their opinions on the use of these vehicles. The results show that students are reluctant to use them mainly because they find the roads unsafe and the rules and regulations inefficient. From the gender point of view, it is revealed that the majority of female students don’t prefer them, especially on quiet roads, because of the harassment they might face. Further research on this topic can be carried out with the participation of more students using different methods.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• university students
• micromobility
• e-scooters
• Innovation
• Transportation
• safety

Üni̇versi̇te öğrenci̇leri̇ni̇n mi̇kromobi̇li̇teye bakış açıları: E-scooterlar açısından bi̇r değerlendi̇rme

Öz

İnsanların beklenti ve ihtiyaçları davranış ve tercihlerini etkilerken, teknolojik gelişmeler de tercihte bulunabilecekleri seçenekleri arttırmaktadır. Son yıllarda e-scooter ve e-bisiklet gibi seçenekler sunan ulaşım alanı da teknolojik gelişmelerin olumlu yasımalarının gözlemlendiği alanlardan biridir. Mikromobilite olarak adlandırılan bu yeni ulaşım seçenekleri özellikle gençler arasında giderek daha popüler hale gelmektedir. Bu çalışmada, üniversite öğrencilerinin e-scooter başta olmak üzere mikromobilite hakkındaki görüşleri araştırılmıştır. Yapılandırılmış görüşme yöntemi kullanılarak, bir denizcilik üniversitesinde okuyan 15 kadın ve 15 erkek öğrenciye bu araçların kullanımına ilişkin görüşleri sorulmuştur. Sonuçlar, öğrencilerin yolları güvensiz, kural ve düzenlemeleri yetersiz buldukları için bu araçları kullanma konusunda isteksiz olduklarını göstermektedir. Cinsiyet açısından bakıldığında, kız öğrencilerin çoğunluğunun, özellikle tenha yollarda, karşılaşabilecekleri tacizler nedeniyle bu araçları tercih etmedikleri ortaya çıkmıştır. Çalışma kampüs içi ulaşım için e-scooter ve benzeri araçlara gerek duyulmayan küçük alanlı bir üniversitede gerçekleştirildiğinden öğrencilerin sadece kampüs dışı mikromobilite ve e-scooter kullanımı konusundaki fikirlerine ulaşılabilmiştir.Daha büyük alanlı bir üniversitede söz konusu araçların kampüs içi kullanımı konusunda da fikir elde edilebilir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Mikromobilite
• E-scooter
• üniversite öğrencileri
• inovasyon
• ulaşım
• güvenlik

Kaynakça

1. Abbas, R. M. & Singh, R. (2014). A Survey of Environmental Awareness, Attitude, and Participation amongst University Students: A Case Study. International Journal of Science and Research, (3) 5, 1755-1760.
2. Abdulahi, S. (2022). E-Scooters Spark New Safety Concerns Across Campuses. Inside Higher Education. Retrieved on Feb. 2 from https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2022/12/16/e-scooters-spark-safety-concerns-across-campuses.
3. Abduljabbar, R.L., Sohani, L. & Dia, Hussein. (2021) The role of micro-mobility in shaping sustainable cities: A systematic literature review. Transportation Research Part D 92. 102734. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2021.102734
4. Arellano, J. & Fang, K. (2019). Sunday Drivers, or Too Fast and Too Furious? Transport Findings. 10.32866/001c.11210.Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338238464_Sunday_Drivers_or_Too_Fast_and_Too_Furious
5. Arshad, H. M., Saleem, K., Shafi, S., Ahmad, T., & Kanwal, S. (2021). Environmental Awareness, Concern, Attitude and Behavior of University Students: A Comparison Across Academic Disciplines. Polish Journal of Environmental Studies, 30(1), 561-570. https://doi.org/10.15244/pjoes/122617
6. Ayözen YE, İnaç H, Atalan A. & Dönmez CÇ. E. (2022). Scooter Micro-Mobility Application for Postal Service: The Case of Turkey for Energy, Environment, and Economy Perspectives. Energies. 15(20):7587. https://doi.org/10.3390/en15207587
7. Bai, S., Jiao, J., Chen, Y.& Guo, J. (2021) The relationship between E-scooter travels and daily leisure activities in Austin, Texas. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment (95) 102844, ISSN 1361-9209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2021.102844.
8. Blazanin, G., Aupal, M., Asmussen, K.E. & Bhat, C. R. (2022). E-scooter sharing and bikesharing systems: An individual-level analysis of factors affecting first-use and use frequency. Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies (135). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trc.2021.103515.

9. Bozzi, A.D. & Aguilera, A. (2021). Shared E-Scooters: A Review of Uses, Health and Environmental Impacts, and Policy Implications of a New Micro-Mobility Service. Sustainability, 13, 8676. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13168676
10. Caspi O, Smart MJ. & Noland RB. (2020) Spatial associations of dockless shared e-scooter usage. Transp Res D Transp Environ. Sep;86:102396. doi: 10.1016/j.trd.2020.102396. Epub 2020 Jul 2. PMID: 32834737; PMCID: PMC7329686
11. Christoforou, Z., Gioldasis, C., de Bortoli, A. & Seidowsky, R. (2021). Who is using e-scooters and how? Evidence from Paris. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment. 92 (23). 102708. 10.1016/j.trd.2021.102708. DOI:10.1016/j.trd.2021.102708
12. Degele, J., Gorr, A., Haas, K., Kormann, D., Krauss, S., Lipinski, P., Tenbih, M., Koppenhoefer, C., Fauser, J. & Hertweck, D. (2018). Identifying e-scooter sharing customer segments using clustering. In: 2018 IEEE International Conference on Engineering, Technology and Innovation (ICE/ITMC). IEEE, pp. 1–8.
13. Dias, G. J. C. & Riberio, P. J. G. (2021) Micromobility: a systematic literature review on the measurement of its environmental, social, and economic impacts on urban sustainability. European Transport Conference 2021. Retrieved from http://repositorium.uminho.pt/bitstream/1822/78533/1/ETC2021%20Dias%20Arsenio.pdf.
14. Eccarius, T. & Lu, C. C. (2020). Adoption intentions for micro-mobility – Insights from electric scooter sharing in Taiwan. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, (84). 102327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2020.102327.
15. Eren, B. & Yaqub, M. (2015). Environmental Consciousness Survey of University Students. ISITES2015 Akademik Platform. Conference paper. Retrieved from https://www.isites.info/PastConferences/ISITES2015/ISITES2015/papers/C1-ISITES2015ID54.pdf
16. Fishman, E., Washington, S. & Haworth, N. (2013) Bike Share: A Synthesis of the Literature. Transport Reviews, 33:2, 148-165. DOI: 10.1080/01441647.2013.775612
17. Fitt, H. & Curl, A. (2019). E-scooter use in New Zealand: Insights around some frequently asked questions. Technical Report. 10.13140/RG.2.2.13510.93761. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333773843_E-scooter_use_in_New_Zealand_Insights_around_some_frequently_asked_questions
18. Gauquelin, A. (2022). Turkey: An emerging market bursting with opportunity for shared mobility. Retrieved from .https://shared-micromobility.com/turkey-an-emerging-market-bursting-with-opportunity-for-shared-mobility/
19. Gibson, A.H.C. (1915). Self-propelled vehicle. United States: Patent Office, 1915. https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/60/17/4b/7d0fcfa10b2cd4/US1192514.pdf
20. Hardt, C. & Bogenberger, K. (2019). Usage of e-Scooters in Urban Environments. Transportation Research Procedia, (37) 155-162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trpro.2018.12.178.
21. Heineke, K., Kloss, B., Scurtu, D. & Weig, F. (2019). Micromobility’s 15,000-mile checkup, a report by McKinsey & Company. Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/automotive-and-assembly/our-insights/micromobilitys-15000-mile-checkup
22. Hollingsworth, J.; Copeland, B. & Johnson, J. X. (2019). Are e-scooters polluters? The environmental impacts of shared dockless electric scooters. Environmental Research Letters, (14) 8. 084031. DOI 10.1088/1748-9326/ab2da8
23. Hosseinzadeh, A., Algomaiah, M., Kluger, R. & Li, Z. (2021). E-scooters and Sustainability: Investigating the Relationship between the Density of E-Scooter Trips and Characteristics of Sustainable Urban Development. Sustainable Cities and Society. 66. 10.1016/j.scs.2020.102624.
24. ITF.OECD (2020). Safe Micromobility Report. Retrieved from https://www.itf-oecd.org/sites/default/files/docs/safe-micromobility_1.pdf
25. James, O., Swiderski, J.I., Hicks, J., Teoman, D., & Buehler, R. (2019). Pedestrians and E-Scooters: An Initial Look at E-Scooter Parking and Perceptions by Riders and Non-Riders. Sustainability, 11, 5591. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11205591
26. Kailai W., Xiaodong Q., Fitch, D. T. Lee, Y., Malik, J. & Circella, G. (2022). What travel modes do shared e-scooters displace? A review of recent research findings. Transport Reviews. 1–27 doi.org/10.1080/01441647.2021.2015639.
27. Karlı, R. K. Ö., Karlı, H. & Çelikyay, H.S. (2022). Investigating the acceptance of shared e-scooters: Empirical evidence from Turkey. Case Studies on Transport Policy (10) 2.1058-1068 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cstp.2022.03.018.
28. Kobayashi, LM., Williams, E., Brown, CV., Brent, J.E, Bansal, V., Badiee, J., Checchi, K.D., Castillo, E.M. & Doucet, J. (2019). The e-merging e-pidemic of e-scooters. Trauma Surg Acute Care Open;4:e000337. doi:10.1136/tsaco-2019-000337
29. Lucas, K., Mattioli, G., Verlinghieri, E. & Guzman, A. (2016). Transport poverty and its adverse social consequences. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers – Transport, 169(6), 353–365. doi:https://doi.org/10.1680/jtran.15.00073
30. Mathew, J. K., Liu, M. & Bullock, D. M. (2019). Impact of Weather on Shared Electric Scooter Utilization. IEEE Intelligent Transportation Systems Conference (ITSC), Auckland, New Zealand, 2019.4512-4516, doi: 10.1109/ITSC.2019.8917121
31. Merriam-Webster. (2023). Micromobility. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/micromobility.
32. Moosavi, S.M.H., Ma, Z., Armaghani, D.J., Aghaabbasi, M., Ganggayah, M.D., Wah, Y.C. & Ulrikh, D.V. (2022). Understanding and Predicting the Usage of Shared Electric Scooter Services on University Campuses. Applied Sciences 12. https:// doi.org/10.3390/app12189392
33. NACTO (2020). 136 million trips taken on shared bikes and scooters across the U.S. in 2019. Retrieved from https://nacto.org/2020/08/27/136-million-trips-taken-on-shared-bikes-and-scooters-across-the-u-s-in-2019/.
34. Ningrum, Z. B., & Herdiansyah, H. (2018). Environmental awareness and behavior of college students in regards to the environment in urban area. In International Conference Series on Life Cycle Assessment: Life Cycle Assessment as A Metric to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals (ICSoLCA 2018) (Vol. 74, pp. 0–5). https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/20187410004
35. Noland, R. (2019). Trip patterns and revenue of shared e-scooters in Louisville, Kentucky. Transport Findings. 10.32866/7747.
36. Novotný, R., Huttmanová, E., Valentiny, T., & Kalistová, A. (2021). Evaluation of Environmental Awareness of University Students: the Case of the University of Presov, Slovakia. European Journal of Sustainable Development, 10(2), 59. https://doi.org/10.14207/ejsd.2021.v10n2p59
37. Orozco-Fontalvo, M., Llerena, L. & Cantillo, V. (2022) Dockless electric scooters: A review of a growing micromobility mode. International Journal of Sustainable Transportation.
38. Ozdemir, P. (2021). Awareness of Maritime Students about Marine Environmental Issues. Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference SEA-CONF. 374-383. doi: 10.21279/2457-144X-21-045
39. Reck, D.J. & Axhausen, K. W. (2021) Who uses shared micro-mobility services? Empirical evidence from Zurich, Switzerland. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment 94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2021.102803.DOI: 10.1080/15568318.2022.2044097
40. Sagaris,L. & Tiznado-Aitken, I. (2023). New horizons for sustainable transport planning: An analysis of seven years of gender-related research in Chile. Journal of Transport and Health, 28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2022.101544.
41. Shaheen, S., Guzman, S. & Zhang, H. (2010). Bikesharing in Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2143: 159–167. doi: 10.3141/2143-20
42. Sikka, N., Vila, C., Stratton, M., Ghassemi, M. & Pourman, A. (2019). Sharing the sidewalk: A case of E-scooter related pedestrian injury. American Journal of Emergency Medicine. 37. 1807 e5-1807 e7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2019.06.0179
43. Şengül B. & Mostofi H. (2021). Impacts of E-Micromobility on the Sustainability of Urban Transportation—A Systematic Review. Applied Sciences. 11(13):5851. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11135851
44. Teixeira, J.F., Silva, C. & Moura e Sá, F. (2020). Empirical evidence on the impacts of bikesharing: a literature review. Transport Reviews 41 (3) 329–351. https://doi.org/10.1080/01441647.2020.1841328
45. TUBITAK (2023). TUBITAK; TÜSSIDE. Türkiye Sanayi Sevk ve İdare Enstitüsü. Retrieved from https://tusside.tubitak.gov.tr/tr/yontemlerimiz/Derinlemesine-Gorusme
46. Unagiscooters.com. (2023). The scooter, a history. Retrieved from https://unagiscooters.com/scooter-articles/the-scooter-a-history/
47. Woods, J. (2019). Small is beautiful Making micromobility work for citizens, cities, and service providers [WWW Document]. URL https://eukalypton.com/fr/2019/ 04/22/explore-the-future-of-mobility/.
48. Zarif, R., Pankratz, D. M. & Kelman, B. (2019). Small is beautiful: Making micromobility work for citizens, cities, and service providers. Retrieved from https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/focus/future-of-mobility/micro-mobility-is-the-future-ofurban-transportation.html accessed 25/10/19
49. Zhang, W., Buehler, R., Broaddus, A. & Sweeney, T. (2021). What type of infrastructures do e-scooter riders prefer? A route choice model. Transportation Research Part D Transport and Environment. 94. 10.1016/j.trd.2021.102761.