Shared E-scooters were introduced as a sustainable mode of transport that could help reduce motorized traffic externalities; however, problems, such as inequitable use, emerged shortly after the start of their operations. While existing literature has focused primarily on user and vehicle characteristics as the main drivers of E-scooter inequitable use, it fails to understand or capture other factors that impact travel decisions, such as urban design and activity accessibility. This study proposes a framework to evaluate shared (E-)scooters’ equity based on accessibility or lack of accessibility to different activities compared to other existing modes of transportation. To test the proposed framework, a sensitivity analysis tested various scenarios using data from scooter trips in Louisville, Kentucky. In total, 1903 main scenarios and 7612 sub-scenarios were evaluated, focusing on accessibility gains for different social groups, modes of transport that could be replaced by scooters, and different locations within the study area. As a result, scooters have the potential to improve current levels of accessibility in 8% of the examined scenarios, mostly when replacing uni–modal walking, biking, and public transportation trips. Furthermore, disadvantaged groups did not gain significant accessibility advantages compared to the rest of the population. We argue that the observed inequitable use of scooters is inherited from the urban structure and activity density. In areas with fewer activities, where mostly disadvantaged social groups live, people use E-scooters less. In order to make E-scooters a competitive mode of transport in disadvantaged areas, urban structural solutions such as densification of land use and promotion of different activities should be considered first.

中文翻译：

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我们都需要共享电动滑板车吗？以可达性为中心的空间公平性评价方法

共享电动滑板车作为一种可持续的交通方式被引入，有助于减少机动交通的外部性；然而，在它们开始运作后不久，就出现了不公平使用等问题。虽然现有文献主要关注用户和车辆特征作为电动滑板车不公平使用的主要驱动因素，但它未能理解或捕获影响出行决策的其他因素，例如城市设计和活动可达性。本研究提出了一个框架，根据与其他现有交通方式相比不同活动的可达性或缺乏可达性来评估共享（电动）滑板车的公平性。为了测试所提出的框架，敏感性分析使用肯塔基州路易斯维尔踏板车旅行的数据测试了各种场景。总共评估了 1903 个主要情景和 7612 个子情景，重点关注不同社会群体的可达性增益、可以被踏板车取代的交通方式以及研究区域内的不同位置。因此，在 8% 的研究场景中，滑板车有潜力提高当前的可达性水平，主要是在取代单一模式的步行、骑自行车和公共交通出行时。此外，与其他人群相比，弱势群体并没有获得显着的无障碍优势。我们认为，所观察到的滑板车的不公平使用是由城市结构和活动密度继承的。在活动较少的地区，主要是弱势社会群体居住的地区，人们使用电动滑板车的情况较少。为了使电动滑板车成为弱势地区有竞争力的交通方式，首先应考虑城市结构解决方案，例如土地利用密集化和促进不同的活动。