A meta-analytic review of the association between the built environment and integrated usage of rail transport and bike-sharing

This meta-analytic review explores the association between the built environment (BE) and the integrated usage of rail transport and bike-sharing (RTBS). The RTBS refers to the combined utilization of both modes (rail and bike-sharing) of transportation within a single journey or trip, allowing individuals to seamlessly switch between rail transit and bicycles for enhanced accessibility and convenience. The study aims to identify the specific BE factors and sub-factors that have a significant impact on RTBS, the direction of this influence, and the most consistently linked BE variable to RTBS. The findings reveal that land use, population and employment density, intersections, branch roads, number of public transportation (PT) stops and stations, PT located in suburban areas, bikeways, and distance to the central business district (CBD) significantly impact RTBS, while housing density does not. Among these BE variables, distance to the CBD is the most consistently significant predictor of RTBS. The study also indicates that employment density has a more significant impact on the integrated usage of dockless bike-sharing and rail transport compared to docked bike-sharing systems. The study identifies high heterogeneity in all BE-RTBS relationships and further investigates the possible causes of these discrepancies. The study did not find evidence of publication bias affecting the meta-analysis results. This study extends the existing literature by providing a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the role of BE in shaping RTBS, which is useful for policymakers and practitioners in the transportation sector.