A report released this week by the dockless smart bike sharing company LimeBike has taken the data of more than 1 million rides and found a $5-$7 less per mile cost average against ridesharing and $0.59 less per mile against driving.
“In one year, drivers replacing just 5 percent of their daily car miles (1.85 miles/day) with LimeBike are saving $400,” the report said. “Rideshare commuters replacing 1 mile per workday with LimeBike are saving $1,300-$1,800 annually.”
The aggregate details are being shared with local officials in cities and campuses throughout the country in an effort to inform transit and commute patterns therein and provide details for improvements. The report also found that the service has been especially popular among students. The average number of trips per student actively using LimeBike has proven to be 54 percent higher than the national average, and what’s more, eight out of 10 college students that make use of it choose to use it repeatedly.
It is also having an effect on public transport. Nationwide, the report found that 40 percent of LimeBike rides start or stop at public transport stations, encouraging decreases in individual gas consumption and general traffic.