A holistic approach to optimize and promote Bike-Sharing Systems, through an integrated action plan

While Bike-Sharing Systems (BSS) are going through a period of rampant growth, users can be reluctant to use them, especially for specific activities, that diverge from entertainment. In this paper, we present a holistic action plan that consists both of actions that aim to optimize the functionality of a BSS and others that aim to promote its usage, through promotions and awareness campaigns. The action plan is part of the CHANGE project and it is achieved largely through the developed i-CHANGE platform, which offers an integrated tool to manage, analyze and optimize BSS operations in the city of Thessaloniki, Greece. The fleet, which is managed by the platform, is a fully dockless, electric fleet of 200 bikes. In this respective, new services are integrated into the system and introduced to its user. Pre-booking, that allows the user to reserve a bike and two gamification mechanics. One that introduces a system of levels, points, badges, and missions, that challenges the users to engage with the BSS and another that offers incentives to use the BSS and rewards as part of promotional actions. One of those actions offered incentives to commuters to know the BSS and regularly use it, and is carried out in collaboration with two of Thessaloniki’s municipalities. Another provided visitors of select hotels in the city with coupons that allowed them to explore the city using the system at a much lower cost. Furthermore, the system was rendered inclusive to users with disabilities, as two "companion-bikes", that allowed for users on wheelchairs to ride with a partner, were designed, constructed, and utilized as a part of the project. The aforementioned actions are expected to expand the system’s usage and shift it further from being exclusively leisure-based, leading to a more sustainable urban landscape.