The Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium, Kaiser Permanente and Drive Oregon have teamed up to undertake a two-year study looking into the potential role e-bikes might play in transportation.
More than 30 foldable e-bikes from distributor Currie Technologies were loaned out to Kaiser Permanente employees at three different Portland campuses. The study hopes to see if e-bikes can be a solution to providing more travel options in the region.
By offering a combination of regular pedaling and electric-assisted propulsion, e-bikes could hold the key to increasing cycling among older adults, people with physical limitations and those with long or tough bicycle commutes.
"We are excited to see if e-bikes motivate more people to participate in cycling and to cycle more often," says John MacArthur, principal researcher for the consortium.
The e-bikes are equipped with a GPS unit to track the frequency of use, speed and route choice. Researchers will evaluate how volunteers used the e-bikes and their perceptions of the experience.
Participants in the study may use the e-bikes however they wish, but the researchers expect they will be used as a first or last mile commuting solution. This means the bikes would complement the public transportation system. For example, instead of driving the whole distance, participants could take public transportation and use the e-bikes to get to a transit stop and from transit to their final destination.
The project, funded in part by a Metro Regional Travel Options grant is interested in also creating a model for e-bike deployment at other institutions. But there are also health benefits to encouraging bicycle ridership.
"Kaiser Permanente’s partnership in the e-bike pilot program is a great example of our comprehensive view of health," says Rich Smith, vice president of human resources at Kaiser Permanente. "Our participation in this pilot project is the perfect complement to our longstanding commitment in programs that expand opportunities for everyone in the community to live a healthy lifestyle, including open streets events such as Sunday Parkways."