/EINPresswire.com/ -- CAMBRIDGE, MA--(Marketwired - Apr 13, 2017) - Zagster, the nation's leading provider of public and public/private bike share systems, today announced the results of its first-ever national rider survey. Reflecting input from more than 3,500 riders across the U.S. with access to bike shares in cities, on university and corporate campuses, and at residential and commercial properties, the results show that having convenient and cost-effective access to a bike makes people happier and healthier, and it fosters a greater sense of connectivity and community between people and the places where they live and work.

Among the findings:

• 51% say Zagster is their only access to a bike
• 64% say Zagster improved their quality of life
• 62% feel more connected to their community because of bike sharing
• 92% say Zagster was a good investment in their community

"This study shows compelling evidence of the value, health benefits and utility of bike sharing, not just for big cities, but for communities of all shapes and sizes," said Timothy Ericson, CEO of Zagster. "We're thrilled to see the overwhelmingly positive impact that Zagster is having for people across the country."

Access Increases Utilization
Zagster is the only way for a majority of those surveyed to access a bike. Access is critical, because while more than half of all Americans say they want to bike more, only 52 percent have access to a working bike, according to a 2015 People for Bikes study. And indeed, two-thirds of survey respondents said they bike more often, and nearly half said they feel more comfortable riding a bike, since joining Zagster. Yet there's still room for improvement -- about 75 percent of those surveyed indicated that they would ride more if there were more protected bike lanes.

Healthier and Happier People
People ride Zagster bikes both for exercise and enjoyment. Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed said that Zagster has increased their physical activity, and 60 percent said that they ride just for fun. Over two-thirds also highlighted the fact that Zagster makes it easier to enjoy parks, nature and greenspace, contributing to the impressive number (64 percent) that said Zagster has improved their quality of life.

A Valued Investment with Impressive ROI
More than 60 percent of Zagster members surveyed said that they feel more connected to their communities as a result of being able to access parks, trails, businesses and other key destinations on a bike. A majority of those surveyed indicated that they are more likely to spend money at local establishments when using Zagster. And there was near unanimity (92 percent) that Zagster was a good investment by the community.

For a full overview of the survey results, please visit: https://www.zagster.com/blog/blog/zagster-rider-survey-results-data

About Zagster
Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., Zagster is the largest and fastest-growing bike-share provider in the United States. Zagster works directly with more than 150 communities in more than 30 states across North America to make bike sharing available in areas where traditional bike share providers can't reach. Unlike other programs in which riders must drop off bikes at designated stations for every stop, Zagster's programs give users the freedom to ride as long as they want, wherever they want. And because Zagster manages all aspects of its programs -- from bikes and technology, to maintenance and marketing -- Zagster partners can create and deploy scalable bike-share systems that best suit their needs and work within their budgets.

More information about Zagster and its programs can be found at www.zagster.com