Rethinking sustainable transportation: The role of shared mobility in urban environments

Abstract

Sustainable mobility has been developing in many cities in Poland, Europe, and the world for several years, thanks to the sharing economy. Transport needs are met by various means, such as cars, bicycles, scooters, and mopeds, rented for a specified period, usually counted in minutes. This type of individual transport is green and benefits the environment and society. However, according to research conducted in all Polish cities with a minimum of 200,000 inhabitants, shared mobility tools have yet to contribute to the development of sustainable transport there significantly. Moreover, three cities noted increased traffic on bus lanes and/or in the center (due to car sharing), and one experienced a drop in the demand for public transport. The latter, in particular, should be considered a negative impact of shared mobility since public transportation is now considered a facet of sustainability. These results prove that the forms of the sharing economy in Polish cities are in the phase of market development and diversification.