Locating new docked bike sharing stations considering demand suitability and spatial accessibility

•A three-stage framework is proposed to locate new docked bike sharing (DBS) stations.•The framework allows for the incorporation of spatial equity and demand factors into the location-allocation model.•New stations located in high suitability and low accessibility areas could further expand the DBS service area.•It is an effective tool to help urban planners design an equitable and profitable DBS system. In recent years, a growing number of cities worldwide have implemented docked bike sharing (DBS) systems. One of the most important features to the success of a DBS scheme is the deployment of the stations. However, prior studies on locating DBS stations have focused on travel demand while accessibility factors received limited attention. To tackle the above issue, this study proposes a three-stage framework to determine the appropriate locations for new DBS stations. Concretely, first, important factors influencing DBS usage are explored to yield a demand-based suitability map. Second, the ease of access to DBS services aggregated at demand points is assessed to generate a DBS accessibility map. Finally, combined with suitability and accessibility maps, a location-allocation model is leveraged to identify locations for building new stations to serve the most potential demand. A case study is conducted in Nanjing, China. The identification results show that ten new stations can further expand the DBS service area outward to some extent (from 80.71% to 83.87%) while meeting the high suitability and low accessibility conditions. These findings provide a useful tool for transportation planners and policymakers to take appropriate measures to achieve an equitable and profitable DBS system.