Sunday, April 15, 2012

The Bike-sharing World: Second Week of April 2012

North America:
              Canada
   
Speculation is swirling in Canada that Public Bicycle Share Company (PBSCo), bIXI in Montréal, will be sold to SERCO, the operator of Barclays Cycle Hire, according to the CBC. Ever since the government in Quebec made it clear that PBSCo had no authority to market bike-sharing internationally and that the international sales had to be shut down or sold, SERCO has been considered the most likely buyer.

When speaking of the possible sale, Roger Plomondon, the retiring President of PBSCo, said, "It would be very sad to see, but from an economic point of view, they’re probably the most motivated potential buyer." With a large investment in the Barclays Cycle Hire program and the desire to expand, SERCO needs to protect its supply line for the bikes and stations. The same is true for Alta Bicycle Share. With 10,000 bikes destined for New York City and 3,000 bikes for Chicago, Alta and the cities under contract with Alta need the disposition of PBSCo to be settled.


                   USA
Los Angeles Mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa, announced during at the city's "CicLAviatoday plans for a new bike-sharing program to cover downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood, Playa del Rey, Westwood and Venice Beach. More details are in his press release. The system would have 4,000 bikes and 400 stations and might start deployment by the end of 2012.   

According to the LA Times, the program will cost $16 million. 
The system would not use City funds. It would be set up and run by Bike Nation, a California Bike-share Company. Bike Nation is in the process currently of setting up a pilot program of 150 bikes for Anaheim, California. It should begin late this spring or early summer.

Europe:

              Spain
What does a system do with old bikes that are serviceable but past their prime, especially when replacements are delivered? The City of La Coruña will give away older bikes of the Bicicoruña system to Asociación Mobi-Liza which will distribute them, upon request, to people who have fewer resources to buy one. The City sees this as an initiative to further promote cycling as a means of transport to its citizens. This is worthy re-cycling of bike-sharing bicycling.


images: The Bike-sharing Blog, Bike NationBicicoruña

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