Hybridizing bike-sharing systems: the way to improve mobility in smart cities

New generation of bike-sharing systems introduce a wide range of smart solutions. Dockless bicycles equipped with GPS and accessible by smartphone applications as well as electric bikes are considered to be solutions to many socioeconomic and environmental urban problems. However, older generation of bike-sharing systems equipped with dockings stations have some advantages over free floating public bicycles. The aim of this paper is to examine if hybridization of both systems may become an opportunity to improve bike-sharing services. The paper presents characteristics of both types of bike-sharing schemes and describes the examples of hybrid models to show benefits of this solution. Chosen methodology is the case study of selected European bike-sharing systems which combine features of both schemes – the dockless and the station-based.