Micromobility Adoption, Ownership, and Use Patterns in the United States
Micromobility modes—including conventional bicycles, electric bicycles, electric scooters, shared micromobility services, and other emerging personal mobility devices—are becoming increasingly important components of the United States transportation system. These modes offer opportunities to support short-distance travel, improve first- and last-mile access to transit, reduce automobile dependence, and promote healthier and more sustainable travel behavior. Despite growing adoption, there remains limited national evidence regarding who owns and uses micromobility devices, how frequently they are used, the purposes they serve, and the extent to which they substitute for automobile, transit, ridehailing, walking, or other travel modes. This project aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of micromobility adoption, ownership, and use patterns in the U.S using data from Wave 2 of the Transportation Heartbeat of America (THA) Survey, a nationally representative travel behavior survey of more than 8,000 U.S. adults. The study will examine household ownership and familiarity with a broad range of micromobility devices; characterize utilitarian and recreational use across demographic, household, geographic, and work-arrangement segments; analyze trip characteristics such as distance, duration, timing, and purpose; and investigate mode substitution patterns, safety perceptions, and motivations for use. The project will employ weighted descriptive analyses, cross-tabulations, and visualization techniques to identify meaningful differences in micromobility ownership and travel behavior across population groups. Findings will provide a comprehensive national characterization of how micromobility modes are integrated into everyday travel and the roles they play in expanding mobility options, supporting first- and last-mile connectivity, and reducing reliance on motorized transportation.
Language
- English
Project
- Status: Active
- Funding: $200,000.00
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Contract Numbers:
69A3552344815
69A3552348320
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Sponsor Organizations:
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology
University Transportation Centers Program
Department of Transportation
Washington, DC United States 20590 -
Managing Organizations:
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX United States 78712 -
Performing Organizations:
660 S. College Ave
PO Box 873005
Tempe, Arizona United States 85287 -
Principal Investigators:
Batur, Irfan
- Start Date: 20260601
- Expected Completion Date: 20270531
- Actual Completion Date: 0
- USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Households; Micromobility; Modal shift; Ownership; Research; Surveys; Travel behavior
- Geographic Terms: United States
- Subject Areas: Highways; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Research; Vehicles and Equipment;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 02000521
- Record Type: Research project
- Source Agency: Center for Understanding Future of Travel Behavior and Demand
- Contract Numbers: 69A3552344815, 69A3552348320
- Files: UTC, RIP
- Created Date: Aug 26 2026 3:49PM