Specification of input, output and setting options for a bike sharing planning system

Since the positive effects of active travelling modes are widely proven, the need for propagating them is evident to counteract serious health and environmental problems. The modal share of bicycles can be stimulated by providing sufficient bike sharing systems that allow better access to this active travelling mode. Taking the decision how to introduce bike sharing is in most cases very time consuming and requires a lot of know-how. The Austrian project PlanBiSS is dedicated to the development of methods and strategies which enable an anticipatory planning of such a bike sharing scheme. For this purpose, potential users' requirements regarding input data, output data and setting options have to be determined in a first step in order to obtain knowledge about their expectations towards a bike sharing planning system. We conducted 16 interviews with international and national bike sharing experts as well as planning experts. On the whole, the results represent a basis to develop a planning system that meets the customers' expectations and needs and that facilitates the dissemination of bike sharing systems.