Micro-Mobility User Pattern Analysis and Station Location in Thessaloniki

In recent years, European countries have been trying to cultivate electrical scooters (e-scooters) as an alternative form of micro-mobility. The purchase and maintenance costs of private e-scooters are expensive so cities have been collaborating with companies to construct an e-scooter rental network. This paper aims to interpret the usage patterns of e-scooters and suggest optimal station locations for charging and parking. The dataset depicts a three-month time period (August, September, and May of the year 2020/2021) of 26,374 trips, in which there were no pandemic limitations. The results are based on two main features: the initial-final position of the e-scooter (the total distance is unknown) and the travel time. Most e-scooter rides refer to leisure trips but there is a portion of users that ride e-scooters for casual trips or commutes to and from work. Here, an electrical scooter network that covers the demand of the city of Thessaloniki is suggested. The implementation plan indicates three stages of construction up to the completion of the network. The construction operation is responsible for the creation and development of a sustainable network by adding approximately 20 stations at every stage. The capacity of the stations fluctuates between 3 and 20 parking spaces, which should accommodate e-scooters and preserve free spaces for potential riders. According to the characteristics of the city of Thessaloniki, its coverage requires the construction of 67 carefully distributed stations.