Title: Pedaling to Wellness: The Impact of Dockless Bike-Sharing Services on Physical and Mental Health in China
Authors: Li Xun, Xia Congling (Corresponding Author)
Journal: Journal of Development Economics, 2026, Vol. 179, 103619
A groundbreaking study reveals that dockless bike-sharing (DBS) services significantly improve both physical and mental health outcomes in urban China. Leveraging the phased rollout of DBS across Chinese cities between 2015 and 2020 as a quasi-natural experiment, the research employs a staggered difference-in-differences (DID) design to establish causal effects.
By quantifying the health externalities of shared mobility, this study expands the discourse on the sharing economy beyond commercial impacts to include social welfare benefits. The findings underscore the role of digital-green synergies in promoting sustainable urban development and advancing China’s "Healthy China" initiative.
Published in the Journal of Development Economics (ranked A-level in Wuhan University’s journal classification), this research offers robust evidence for policymakers seeking to integrate health considerations into transportation and urban planning.
Full Study:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304387825001701
