Active and micromobility in the U.S.

In recent years, shared e-scooters and bicycles have become a staple in the U.S. urban landscape, providing additional options to walking and cycling a privately owned bike to the active and micromobility transport mix. The relatively new options of shared transportation are the result of increasing numbers of micromobility start-ups trying to establish themselves in cities across the globe. Micromobility is defined as passenger transportation using lightweight vehicles at speeds usually below 25 km/h (15mph) and driven by users personally. The most common vehicles offered publicly are scooters (either standing or seated) and bicycles (which could be docked or undocked, electrical or traditional). Furthermore, skates, skateboards, one-wheelers, and unicycles, among other small vehicles, are also included in the micromobility universe. Meanwhile, any form of transport that requires personal energy input, such as walking and cycling, is considered active mobility.

Walking and cycling participation post-pandemic

Along with many countries around the world, the U.S. experienced a cycling boom during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when bicycle sales jumped by nearly 60 percent compared to the previous year. While this appears to have had slight impact on cycling participation through to 2022, the private car unsurprisingly remained the most popular mode of transport, even for short journeys. Walking, however, does play a substantial role for traveling short trips of around one mile in the United States. It is particularly prevalent in states with large metropolitan areas. In the District of Columbia, walking trips per 100 people amount to 42 per day, while in New York State this number stood at 38 trips per 100 persons per day in 2022.

Shared e-scooters vs bikes

Regarding which type of vehicle is the most used by shared micromobility customers in North America, the picture was well divided between e-scooters and bikes, with a slightly higher preference for the latter. In 2022, of the 157 million trips reported in the region, 54 percent of them were bike rides. On a national level, U.S. American users were more inclined to ride on an e-scooter than on a bike. The latest data shows that more than half of shared micromobility trips were by e-scooters. It is no surprise then that the number of e-scooter systems in the U.S. outnumbered the shared bike systems by more than two to one. As of July 2023, there were 252 e-scooter systems in the United States.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Mar 4, 2024

Key insights

U.S. metro area with highest active mobility mode share
New York
Share of U.S. Americans, who primarily walk for short journeys
34%
Share of U.S. Americans, who primarily cycle for short journeys
6%
Get more insights

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North America: Number of cities with shared micromobility systems and trips 2019-2022

Aided brand awareness for e-scooter brands in the U.S. in 2022

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