What the study found
The study found that an on-demand transit service using lightweight electric vehicles in New Rochelle, New York, was used mostly by women and younger riders, with travel concentrated around the middle of the day and often involving short trips.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that evaluating vehicle fleets and mapping current socio-spatial travel demand can inform system performance, guide service area development, and support future planning, including possible expansion to nearby communities and transit hubs. The findings indicate that right-sized, electric, on-demand vehicles may help improve mobility access and reduce energy use and refueling costs.
What the researchers tested
The researchers characterized ridership patterns and energy use for an on-demand transit service using travel and survey data from September 2019 through December 2023. They examined rider sociodemographics, temporal and spatiotemporal travel patterns, and compared fueling or charging costs across different fleet vehicle types.
What worked and what didn't
The service was used more by women, who made up nearly 60% of riders, and by younger people, with more than 65% under age 42. Peak use occurred in the middle of the day, a grocery store was a top origin and destination, and about one-third of riders used the service to connect to a train or bus. Most trips were short, with 86% under 2 miles, and the small electric vehicles had annual charging costs roughly half those of conventional hybrid vans and 24 times lower than a fleet of diesel buses.
What to keep in mind
This is a case study of one service in New Rochelle, so the abstract does not describe broader limits beyond that setting. The abstract does not provide details on study design constraints, sample size, or uncertainty around the reported comparisons.
Key points
- The service was used mostly by women and by younger riders.
- More than 65% of riders were under age 42, and nearly 60% were women.
- Most trips were short: 86% were under 2 miles.
- About one-third of riders used the service to connect to a train or bus.
- Annual charging costs for the small electric vehicles were roughly half those of hybrid vans and 24 times lower than diesel buses.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- On-demand electric transit served mainly younger women on short trips
- Authors:
- Bonnie Powell, Joshua Sperling, Johnny Esteban, Emily Serrano, Dustin Weigl, Stanley Young
- Institutions:
- National Laboratory of the Rockies
- Publication date:
- 2026-03-30
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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