Transport Push-Pull Mobility Between Urban Districts: A Distance-Weighted Approach Based on Public Bicycle Flows

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">With the rapid development of urban transportation systems and the increasing complexity of travel patterns, transport push-pull mobility analysis helps us understand the fundamental question of "why certain areas generate or attract traffic flows," thereby guiding urban transport planning decisions. However, existing studies have not explored the strength and spatial heterogeneity patterns of transport mobility forces in different urban areas from a traffic flow perspective. To address this gap, this paper proposes measurement methods for absolute and relative transport mobility through the lens of push-pull forces. These methods can evaluate the traffic generation and attraction forces of each location based on travel flow data between places. The model constructed in this study follows the assumption that an area with high traffic inflow, especially from distant locations, indicates strong attraction force; conversely, if many travelers depart from a location, particularly to distant destinations, it indicates strong generation force. Using docked public bicycle trip data from Suzhou, China, we conducted an empirical analysis based on the proposed methods. The results show that traffic generation and attraction forces are stronger in both urban suburbs and city centers, with this pattern being more pronounced in attraction forces. Additionally, districts with both high attraction and generation forces tend to show spatial clustering, while districts with low travel demands in both aspects demonstrate less apparent aggregation. This study provides a novel method for measuring regional transport mobility forces while offering scientific evidence for developing differentiated urban transportation strategies and improving shared transit services.</div></div>