Lastcykelägande i huvudstadsregionen: Egenskaper, utmaningar och segment

Cargo bikes combine the advantages of sustainable, active, and private urban mobility with additional capacity for transporting cargo or passengers. Particularly in the past few years, personal cargo bikes have become increasingly prominent in the Helsinki Capital Region. Despite this growth, cargo bike ownership has been a rather under-researched topic both regionally and internationally. The purpose of this thesis is to address a geographical research gap by examining the characteristics and challenges related to cargo bike ownership in the Helsinki Capital Region. This thesis examines cargo bike ownership from the perspectives of three groups: current cargo bike owners, former cargo bike owners, and non-cargo bike owners. The analysis focuses on sociodemographic characteristics and motivations for cargo bike adoption or potential adoption. In addition, barriers to adoption are examined among former owners and non-owners. The data was collected through an online survey, and descriptive statistical analysis was used to summarise the characteristics of the three groups. Additionally, TwoStep Cluster Analysis was applied to segment current owners and non-owners. In line with previous research, cargo bike owners in the Helsinki Capital Region exhibit largely homogeneous sociodemographic characteristics. The typical cargo bike owner was male, middle-aged, highly educated, employed, and living in a family household. Cargo bikes were primarily acquired for transporting children and cargo, as well as for enabling sustainable and convenient mobility. The cluster analysis identified three clusters of cargo bike owners: enthusiastic suburban parents, utilitarian urban dwellers, and sustainable urban parents. Compared to current owners, non-cargo bike owners exhibited greater sociodemographic heterogeneity but signified relatively similar motivations for potential cargo bike adoption. The most significant barriers to cargo bike adoption among non-owners were the high purchase price, lack of storage space, fear of theft, and concerns regarding the suitability of cargo bikes for their needs. Non-owners were clustered into three segments: sharing-curious, owning-interested, and owning-hesitant. Former owners differed slightly from current owners in their sociodemographic profiles but shared similar motivations for cargo bike acquisition. The relinquishment of cargo bikes among former owners was primarily attributed to the lack of use and storage space.