Citation

Villwock-Witte N, Leidekker JRK. Transp. Res. Rec. 2015; 2499: 33-39.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.3141/2499-05

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Federal land managers in the United States, especially in the National Park Service, are becoming more interested in providing opportunities for visitors to experience a unit in the national park system without a private vehicle. Alternative modes of transportation can help park units address numerous challenges, including preserving the resources for present and future generations and enhancing the quality of the visitor experience. One mode of travel that is receiving considerable attention is the bicycle, especially various forms of bikesharing. De Hoge Veluwe National Park, in the Netherlands, has had a bikeshare system since 1975. Federal land managers may be particularly interested in this system because (a) the bikes are provided without charge, (b) there are provisions for children, (c) the bikes are not used to advertise private businesses, and (d) bicycling is good for the environment and users' health. This paper briefly reviews the evolution of bikesharing, summarizes studies related to bicycles and pedestrians in the context of federal lands, presents information about De Hoge Veluwe National Park and describes its white bikeshare program, and concludes with considerations, such as unit size and location, for implementing a similar system in the United States. Units that are developing bikeshare systems should consider features that are attractive to potential users, such as a cost-effective pricing system and bicycles for a wide variety of users.