Suggested Citation:
Mohiuddin, Hossain, Tatsuya Fukushige, Dillon T. Fitch-Polse (2025)

Brief: Trip-Level Mode Replacements and Daily Activity Patterns Reveal the Sustainability Potential of Micromobility

Micromobility options such as electric bike-share and scooter-share services are a fundamental part of the existing shared mobility landscape. Research has shown that micromobility use can reduce car dependence. This is accomplished through trip-level mode replacement and adjustments in mode-use configurations in daily travel. Understanding the full potential of micromobility services as a car replacement can help cities better plan for the services to meet environmental sustainability goals. Researchers at the University of California, Davis collected GPS-based travel diary data from individual micromobility users from 48 cities in the US and examined their travel behavior and micromobility use patterns. They found that micromobility services can displace car use. To achieve environmental sustainability goals, cities must pursue options that will deliver benefits, such as micromobility services. This policy brief summarizes the findings from that research and provides policy implications. 

This policy brief is drawn from “Is Micromobility Being Used in Place of Car Trips in Daily Travel (or “Trip Chains”)?” a report from the UC Institute of Transportation Studies, authored by Hossain Mohiuddin and Dillon Fitch-Polse of the University of California, Davis, and from “American Micromobility Panel (Part 2): Transit Connection, Mode Substitution, and VMT Reduction,” a report from the National Center for Sustainable Transportation authored by Tatsuya Fukushige and Dillon Fitch-Polse of the University of California, Davis. The full reports can be found on https://www.ucits.org/research-project/2023-04/ and https://ncst.ucdavis.edu/project/sustainability-micromobility-services-vmt-reduction-and-transit-connection.