Introducing a Practical Model for Developing a Bicycle Sharing System in Shiraz

Due to insufficient attention paid to the bicycle sharing system infrastructure, a lack of culturalization on its proper usage as well as poor planning of construction, preservation, and development of this system, the present study was carried out to represent a functional model for developing a bicycle sharing system in Shiraz, a populated city located in the Southwest of Iran. The present study also is a fundamental research in terms of purpose and exploratory in terms of data collection and was carried out by applying the data-based theory method. Data collection tool was a semi-structured in-depth interview. Snowball technique as a purposeful sampling was used for a statistical population including experts and professionals. The data were analyzed by using open, axial and selective coding to extract the final pattern. The final model consists of a set ofaxial categories, causal conditions, and essentialcontexts, confounding variables, strategies and consequences of the bicycle sharing system in Shiraz. However, each of these conditions and factors has its variables and categories. In this study, the motivations behind sport activities, environmental efficiency, cutting urban traffic, flexibility, security and easy use of bicycle sharing system in Shiraz with highlighting barriers (infrastructures and equipment, educational culture, individual barriers, poor government strategy, social, economic and environmental barriers), and the necessary contexts (climatic conditions and appropriate landscape diversity, easy integration of bicycles and the internet, entertainment and leisure facilities, and gaining the support of many stakeholders) have been studied. Results show that the enhancement of health and happiness among citizens, promoting users’ cooperation and satisfaction, overcoming the transportation and traffic problems, enhancing environmental qualities, creating employment, increasing the sustainable efficiency and attracting more investors from private sectors could be achieved by formulating sustainable urban mobility policies, promoting the lure of using the bicycle, developing the smart bicycle sharing system, technical infrastructures of designing of the bicycle sharing system, integrating and alignment of policies of public and private sectors,management of connecting with users, building a trading model and targeted advertising