Bike Share
Imagine walking to a sidewalk corner and finding a public bicycle. With a cellphone call or swipe of a card, you unlock it from its bike rack and ride it across town. Once at your destination, you steer to the closest bike rack and, with one more call or card swipe, return the bike to the public network. You pay less than $.50 for the trip, and the bike is once again available for the taking.
Bike-sharing already exists in cities across Europe, revolutionizing transportation networks and greening the urban fabric. We highlighted eight cities with successful programs:
paris
Name: Velib’ LauNched: July, 2007 BicycLes: 10,000 statioNs: 750 city popuLatioN: 2.15 million NumBer of citizeNs per Bike: 215 avaiLaBiLity: Year-round price structure: Riders can select a oneday card for €1, a weekly card for €5 or an annual card for €29. First half-hour is free. Additional half-hours are priced at €1, €2 and €4. techNoLogy: Smartcard operatiNg compaNy: JC Decaux
By far the largest bike-share program to-date, paris plans to have installed over 10,000 bikes by July, 2007, and 20,000 by 2008. Mayor Bertrand Delanoe launched the Velib’ network as part of his wide-reaching program to green Paris and reduce vehicular traffic in the central city. To help riders navigate the streets, maps and safety manuals in several languages will be available at every station.
BarceLoNa
Name: Bicing LauNched: March, 2007 BicycLes: 1,500 statioNs: 100 city popuLatioN: 1.5 million NumBer of citizeNs per Bike: 1,000 avaiLaBiLity: Year-round, 5am to midnight, 24 hours a day on Friday and Saturday. price structure: Riders must apply via mail for a swipe card and purchase an annual subscription for €24. First half-hour is free. Additional half-hours are priced at €.30, with a maximum rental time of two hours. techNoLogy: Smartcard, and optional credit card. operatiNg compaNy: Clear Channel Adshel
Like many bike-share programs, Bicing offers its users a Google mash-up, with
Bike-sharing already exists in cities across Europe, revolutionizing transportation networks and greening the urban fabric. We highlighted eight cities with successful programs:
paris
Name: Velib’ LauNched: July, 2007 BicycLes: 10,000 statioNs: 750 city popuLatioN: 2.15 million NumBer of citizeNs per Bike: 215 avaiLaBiLity: Year-round price structure: Riders can select a oneday card for €1, a weekly card for €5 or an annual card for €29. First half-hour is free. Additional half-hours are priced at €1, €2 and €4. techNoLogy: Smartcard operatiNg compaNy: JC Decaux
By far the largest bike-share program to-date, paris plans to have installed over 10,000 bikes by July, 2007, and 20,000 by 2008. Mayor Bertrand Delanoe launched the Velib’ network as part of his wide-reaching program to green Paris and reduce vehicular traffic in the central city. To help riders navigate the streets, maps and safety manuals in several languages will be available at every station.
BarceLoNa
Name: Bicing LauNched: March, 2007 BicycLes: 1,500 statioNs: 100 city popuLatioN: 1.5 million NumBer of citizeNs per Bike: 1,000 avaiLaBiLity: Year-round, 5am to midnight, 24 hours a day on Friday and Saturday. price structure: Riders must apply via mail for a swipe card and purchase an annual subscription for €24. First half-hour is free. Additional half-hours are priced at €.30, with a maximum rental time of two hours. techNoLogy: Smartcard, and optional credit card. operatiNg compaNy: Clear Channel Adshel
Like many bike-share programs, Bicing offers its users a Google mash-up, with