Paper published: E-bikes’ impact on job accessibility and equity in São Paulo and Rio

We are happy to share that one of the papers from Thiago Louro his PhD research has just been published in Transportation Research Part D (Special Issue: Accessibility Equity)!

The paper was co-authored with Anna Grigolon, André Luiz Cunha and Karst Geurs, the paper examines how e-bikes can improve access to jobs and reduce spatial inequalities in Brazil’s two largest cities. They measured accessibility using both travel time and physical effort, capturing an often-overlooked dimension of active mobility. The results show that e-bikes significantly expand job accessibility, especially for longer trips and in hilly or peripheral areas.

Interestingly, while e-bikes shorten travel times, their main impact lies in reducing physical effort, meaning the real increase in job accessibility is much greater than what would be estimated from time-based models alone.
From an equity perspective, e-bikes partially reduce spatial disparities, providing greater relative gains for lower-income groups, although inequalities remain as central areas continue to benefit the most.
We conclude that, to fully realize their benefits, cities should invest in safe, continuous cycling networks, affordable pricing models, and better integration with public transport.

Open access link: https://lnkd.in/ecrfrHKe