Who commutes by bicycle all year round? Analysis of influencing factors based on a survey incorporating weather sensitivity

Abstract

Using survey data from Germany, we investigate how people incorporate weather into their mobility decisions and combine this with questions towards weather sensitivity. We compare people who primarily use bicycles to commute to work in summer but another mode of transportation in winter, and people who report bicycles as their primary mode of transportation in both seasons. We find that the respondents’ self-assessment matches the reported behavior. People who describe themselves as cold-sensitive change their mode of transportation in winter, whereas insensitive people do not. Furthermore, a longer commuting trip correlates with not using the bicycle for commuting in winter. Finally, having a car contributes to being in this group as well. People who switch to another mode in winter mainly switch to a motorized mode (public transport or car). These findings contribute to understanding usage patterns of the bicycle, which is a key element in many current transport policies.