Electric Cargo Bike Share Coming to Dublin

May 20, 2024

Justifying the price of a cargo bike is typically the largest concern we hear from people who want to try using a cargo bike for some of their trips. We are large supporters of cargo bike demos and rental programs that give people the taste of trying a cargo bike in their normal life without having to take a chance on a short test ride from a bike shop or event. In fact, I had a 25% buy rate at my previous cargo bike shop for anyone who demoed a cargo bike for more than 24 hours!

A 12-month electric cargo bike trial in Dublin, Ireland, aims to shift cargo bike adoption and better understand the barriers keeping people from using them.

A bit of background

A survey was done in the spring of 2022 to see “Use of and Attitudes towards Micromobility Options in Dublin”. There were less than 1,000 respondents, but they are taking action on what opinions are given. You can see the survey report here

Stand-out data:
75% support active travel
1% use cargo bikes (less than 10 respondents)
32% are interested in trying a cargo bike
68% think an eCargo Bike scheme would have a positive impact

With this positive data, Dublin City Council is testing if providing Electric Cargo Bike share through an app will increase interest, purchase, and mode share shift.

Common Barriers to Cargo Bike Adoption:

Storage: Cargobikes are larger than bicycles and many people living in cities in towns do not have access to a suitable and secure storage space.
Cost: Even though cycling is among the most budget-friendly means of transportation, the initial expense of buying an e-cargobike can be unaffordable for many people.
Knowledge: While increasingly popular, e-cargobikes are still relatively uncommon on Irish roads and many people do not know how to learn more about e-cargobikes or to test one. This is amplified by the many varieties available and a high cost to buying the ‘wrong type’.
Safety Concerns: Some people are concerned about the safety of cycling an e-cargobike due poor cycling infrastructure.

The program is launching through Dublin’s “Beta“, which is an incubator test for programs before rolling out to a larger scale.
There are two types of cargo bikes: one front loader and one midtail.
They are using a 3rd party service, Bleeper, to run the operations, app, and maintenance.
There is only one location for the cargo bike share, on a quiet street using a cargo bike storage locker.
The test program is to last 12 months

What They Hope To Learn

The most important part is the data. Beta lists 6 different things they hope to learn (see below). I’m personally interested to see if the Bleeper app will provide any additional information, like heat maps for ridership, what modes are being replaced (walking, transit, auto), and whether only two bikes are enough. Will they increase the number of bikes available if they see a great use initially?

Demographics – understand demographic uptake and behavioural change:
- Why/why wouldn’t people use the service?
- What can we do to encourage more people to test the service – in particular those who are most hesitant?
Locating – identify optimum locations with due consideration for usage and equity:
- What areas in the city are most suitable for such a scheme?
- What areas are poorly served?
Parking – identify supporting infrastructure requirements:
- What infrastructure is necessary such as on-street space, locking facilities, lighting, charging etc.?
- Are there issues with other cycles being parked in the designated area?
Cargobikes – identify preferred cargobike models:
- For what purpose they are used, and patterns around how they are used
- Usability for the user
Antisocial – identify the rates of negative behaviours:
- What are the levels of theft and vandalism?
- Are they returned late, dirty or damaged by users?
Usage – Identify usage trends:
- The frequency of use (both in general, but also on average by each user),
- Trip lengths (both in time and distance),
- Typical destinations, etc.