Bicycle use in the university community: Empirical analysis using MobiCampus-UdL data (Lyon, France)
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Summary
This study investigates the determinants of bicycle use among the university community in Lyon, France, aiming to inform public policies promoting sustainable mobility. While cycling adoption is generally low in France, university students and staff are considered more likely to adopt sustainable transport modes. The research addresses the need to understand both exclusive cycling and combined cycling (intermodality with public transport) to support efficient targeted policies. The authors utilize original data from the MobiCampus-UdL project, a travel survey conducted between 2017 and 2019 across 17 institutions within the University of Lyon. The final sample comprises 9,325 students and 3,670 staff members. The methodology employs descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression models to analyze home-to-campus commuting behavior. Two distinct models were estimated for each sub-population: one explaining the probability of using the bicycle as an exclusive mode and another explaining the probability of using the bicycle in combination with other modes. Due to the low frequency of combined cycling, the authors applied Firth’s penalized likelihood method to correct for bias associated with rare events. The analysis incorporated variables related to socio-demographic characteristics, individual mobility resources (e.g., bicycle ownership, driving license), and spatial accessibility metrics, including proximity to public transport, train stations, and bike-sharing stations at both residence and campus locations. The results indicate that socio-demographic factors have limited influence on cycling choices within these relatively homogeneous groups. Instead, access to mobility resources and spatial characteristics are crucial determinants. Bicycle ownership and access to shared bike stations significantly influence cycling utilization. Specifically, access to a shared bike station on campus encourages the exclusive use of bicycles for both students and staff but does not affect combined mode usage. Notably, good accessibility to public transport does not reduce bicycle use, either exclusively or in combination, suggesting that cycling and public transit are complementary rather than substitutive. Furthermore, while living far from the city center hinders exclusive cycling, particularly for staff, it does not prevent the use of bicycles in combination with other modes, such as trains. Descriptive data reveal that exclusive cycling is more common than combined cycling, with students relying more heavily on shared bikes for combined trips, whereas staff predominantly use private bicycles. The significance of these findings lies in their implications for urban planning and transport policy. The study justifies policies aimed at increasing bicycle availability and subsidizing purchases to boost adoption rates. It highlights the importance of integrating bike-sharing infrastructure on campuses to promote exclusive cycling. Additionally, the results support the development of intermodality strategies, demonstrating that improved public transport accessibility can coexist with cycling promotion. By identifying that distance from the city center does not preclude combined cycling, the research suggests opportunities to expand cycling’s role as a feeder mode for public transport, thereby enhancing the overall sustainability and efficiency of urban mobility systems.
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| Stage | Outcome | Tool | Model | Prompt | Attempts | Completed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| discover | success | Crossref | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-25 |
| archive | success | unpaywall | — | — | 2 | 2026-06-26 |
| extract | success | cached | — | — | 2 | 2026-06-26 |
| clean | success | clean | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-25 |
| chunk | success | chunk | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-25 |
| embed | success | embed | Qwen/Qwen3-Embedding-8B | — | 1 | 2026-06-25 |
| promote | success | — | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-25 |
| summarize | success | llm | qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant | summ-v5 | 1 | 2026-06-26 |
| tag | success | vector_similarity | — | — | 6 | 2026-06-25 |
| verify | success | — | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-26 |
Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-26; verification: verified.
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