Identifying the coherent paragraph requires examining how each sentence relates to the topic of urban public transport trends. Let's analyze the sentences:
1. Urbanites also have more and better options for getting around: Uber is ubiquitous; easy-to-rent dockless bicycles are spreading; battery-powered scooters will be next.
2. When more people use buses or trains, the service usually improves because public-transport agencies run more buses and trains.
3. Worsening services on public transport, terrorist attacks in some urban metros, and a rise in fares have been blamed for this trend.
4. It seems more likely that public transport is being squeezed structurally as people’s need to travel is diminishing as a result of smartphones, video conferencing, online shopping, and so on.
5. There has been a puzzling decline in the use of urban public transport in many countries in the west, despite the growth in urban populations and rising employment.
Analysis: Sentence 5 serves as an introduction to the phenomenon being discussed - the puzzling decline in urban public transport usage in the west. Sentence 3 elaborates on potential causes, such as worsening transport services and other factors contributing to the decline, directly aligning with the introductory observation. Sentence 4 continues the explanation by suggesting structural changes (like reduced need to travel due to technology) also contribute to the decline. Sentence 1 supports the idea that there are better alternatives in urban transportation contributing to the decline of public transport. However, Sentence 2 deviates from this narrative, discussing an unrelated concept where increased usage leads to better service, thus not coherently fitting into the paragraph discussing decline. Therefore, the odd sentence out is:
When more people use buses or trains, the service usually improves because public-transport agencies run more buses and trains.