Case Studies
RAC Regional eBike Trial
Design Feature
Type of project
Local Government Initiative
State
Western Australia
Location
Regional
In 2016, following the success of the Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia (RAC) electric bike (eBike) trial in Perth in 2015, RAC replicated the trial in the picturesque, and somewhat hilly regional city of Albany, in Western Australia’s south.
The trial offered 20 participants from two partner organisations exclusive use of an eBike for 10 weeks to help increase awareness and usage of eBikes, to ultimately boost cycling in WA’s regional cities and towns. Over the 10 weeks, participants commuting by car dropped significantly with 46% of all trips made solely by eBike. A majority of participants also reported health, well-being and fitness benefits.
The trial offered 20 participants from two partner organisations exclusive use of an eBike for 10 weeks to help increase awareness and usage of eBikes, to ultimately boost cycling in WA’s regional cities and towns. Over the 10 weeks, participants commuting by car dropped significantly with 46% of all trips made solely by eBike. A majority of participants also reported health, well-being and fitness benefits.
The power of electric bikes in regional WA
A ‘workplace lease system’ was used to provide participants with exclusive access to an eBike over a 10-week period. This allowed time for new travel behaviours to be established. From a trial management perspective, key benefits of the system were that it was an easier way for RAC to monitor usage and provide administrative and legal support.
Participants were recruited through an Expression of Interest process, and a diverse mix of participants were selected. Three models of eBike were used to cater for the differing needs of participants, including an electric mountain bike for those who commuted using unsealed roads.
Participants were recruited through an Expression of Interest process, and a diverse mix of participants were selected. Three models of eBike were used to cater for the differing needs of participants, including an electric mountain bike for those who commuted using unsealed roads.
Risk assessments were conducted to identify health, safety and legal risks of undertaking the trial. Risks were managed through a range of mitigating measures such as providing participants with specific cycling training, tools and resources. To ensure robust evaluation of the trial, participants completed before and after surveys and recorded their daily usage and experiences through weekly travel diaries. While completion of surveys was incentivised through competitions, usage of the eBikes was not.
The weekly diaries and surveys provided encouraging evidence to demonstrate the appeal and potential of eBikes. They also captured information relating to cycling safety and infrastructure considerations, as well as priorities for Government investment to facilitate increased cycling participation in regional WA. These insights have already helped to inform RAC’s ongoing advocacy activities relating to travel behaviour change and active transport.
Participants were encouraged to use existing safe, direct and accessible cycling routes in Albany and surrounding suburbs. While the trial did not provide new cycling routes or infrastructure in Albany, it reinforced the importance of safe, dedicated and accessible Movement Networks. It also encouraged participants to share their relatively unique experiences relating to the specific infrastructure needs of eBike users, which is a growing user group in helping to generate active transport trips.
The trial was successful in forming effective partnerships across state and local government departments and sectors as well as boosting community support and acceptance of cycling and eBikes. Both elements were crucial to create an environment where decision-makers could influence and implement policies that promote sustainable transport options, and equally importantly, ensuring these are supported with appropriate funding.
The trial was successful in forming effective partnerships across state and local government departments and sectors as well as boosting community support and acceptance of cycling and eBikes. Both elements were crucial to create an environment where decision-makers could influence and implement policies that promote sustainable transport options, and equally importantly, ensuring these are supported with appropriate funding.
Key lessons learned from the trial can help other organisations wishing to replicate similar initiatives to promote and encourage the use of active transport modes.
Project team
- RAC
- City of Albany
- (Former) WA Department of Sport and Recreation, now the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries
Project cost
N/A
Health value
- Almost 1,170 eBike trips were made by the 20 participants during the trial and around 61 per cent of these were for commuting purposes.
- Before the trial 85% of commuting trips were made by car (driver or passenger) which was reduced to 48% during the trial and dropped further to 41% after the trial.
- While none of the participants reported cycling to and from work before the trial, almost half (46%) of all commuting trips were made by eBike over the 10 weeks.
- The increase in cycling was sustained after the trial, with the post-trial survey findings showing that 51% of commuting trips continued to be made by eBike and an additional 6% by regular bicycle (57% by all bike types in total).
For non-commuting trips, the most frequently stated purposes for participants using their eBike included:
- fitness/exercise (24% of all purposes stated, respondents could select multiple options if they made several trips)
- leisure/fun (23%)
- to go shopping (14%).
Economic value
- While participants continued to use their car for certain commutes during the trial, the 717 eBike trips made during the trial demonstrates the appeal of eBikes as a viable commuting option compared to private cars. This represents almost half (46%) of all commuting trips made by the participants during the trial. This is even more impressive given that none of the participants cycled before the trial. The uptake in cycling trips delivered economic benefits for the participants (e.g. financial savings) and promises wider community benefits (e.g. a reduction in localised congestion, increased number of social interactions, potential savings on health care, etc).
- Almost 60% of participants that completed the post-trial survey said they had made financial savings as a result of using the eBikes during the trial. Collectively, participants reported a saving of around $200 per week, which added up to approximately $2,000 over the 10 weeks.
- Participants were encouraged by the cost savings, with one noting:
“In the 10 weeks I managed to clock up 700 kilometres – that’s 700 kilometres of fuel I saved!” – City of Albany participant.
Environmental value
- The trial successfully reduced car usage and dependency and thus associated carbon dioxide and pollution emissions.
- This is evident in the dramatic reductions in car trips and increase in cycling trips for both commuting and non-commuting purposes experienced during the trial, and maintained afterwards.
- An estimated 540 car trips for commuting purposes were replaced by other modes (including eBikes) during the trial. This equates to an average of 2.7 car trips per participant per week during the trial.
Social value
- The trial was a practical form of cycling promotion, increasing awareness, understanding and social acceptance of eBikes as a form of transport amongst the participants and broader communities.
- While the trial was short-term, the aspiration was always to stimulate lasting benefits for the participants and the local communities by keeping the momentum going after the trial had finished. The participants enjoyed riding their eBike so much during the trial that 70% went on to purchase an eBike following the trial.
- This has given them the opportunity to maintain their newly established commuting behaviours and they continue to be passionate advocates promoting the benefits of eBikes in their communities, workplaces and households. In fact, all of the participants that completed the post-trial survey said they would recommend eBikes to family, friends and colleagues as a commuting option.
- Further, the two partner organisations purchased the remaining six eBikes to use as staff pool bikes and the City of Albany continues to keep the legacy of the trial alive by actively promoting the uptake of eBikes through community events and offering their staff the opportunity to salary sacrifice when purchasing an eBike.
Use value
- RAC and their supporting partners believe the trial has provided encouraging evidence of the potential of eBikes to enhance the attractiveness and convenience of cycling as a viable mode of transport for commuting. It has demonstrated the potential of eBikes to overcome some of the actual or perceived barriers to cycling such as distance, time, fitness or health constraints.
- This trial design was innovative and robust, but at the same time it was designed so that it could be easily replicated. This eBike trial demonstrated the effective application of the trial approach initially developed for metropolitan Perth and replicated successfully in a regional setting.
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