Determinants of shared electric bicycle travel behavior in mountainous cities: an integrated DEMATEL–ISM framework

Shared electric bicycles (SEB) provide an effective solution to alleviate the traffic pressure in mountainous cities. This paper integrates Multi-Group Inquiry (MGI) and the grey system theory to construct a comprehensive analysis framework, improving the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method, and applying it to analyze the key determinants and hierarchical relationships of SEB users’ travel choice behaviors. Starting from four dimensions: personal attributes, natural environment, built environment, and willingness to use, 12 influencing variables were selected. Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) method was used to construct a five-level hierarchical model to precisely identify the influence of factors and their logical relationships. The case study was based on the survey results of 25 experts and 262 SEB users in Chongqing, China. The results show that the geographical environment is the root determinant with the highest degree of influence, and has a significant impact on other factors; personal preferences become the most important result factor, directly determining the users’ travel choices and behavior patterns. Crucially, transportation infrastructure and land use play a key connecting role, generating a chain effect. Finally, specific policy recommendations were proposed based on the characteristics of mountainous cities, such as the need for high-torque motors on steep slopes and adaptive lane design.