tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536492701084612733.post811336701601787618..comments2023-05-20T07:19:51.660-04:00Comments on The Bike-sharing Blog: What Would You Pay? The Per Minute and Buffet Models of PricingPaul DeMaiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15311271083094779653noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536492701084612733.post-47749118067338184062014-12-09T21:17:38.936-05:002014-12-09T21:17:38.936-05:00Interesting article -- just found it via the nacto...Interesting article -- just found it via the nacto bikeshare email list. I agree that we should be more strategic regarding the pricing of bikeshare, but I'm not sure if the single flat fare model is the right direction. Moreover, I wouldn't call the flat-fare model innovative. It's the oldest transit fare model in the U.S. (ye olde $0.05 fare), and it only worked well at the beginning of the century when transit service was heavily subsidized by amusement parks, real estate developers, and a small handful of municipalities. For most public agencies, the flat fare has probably led to more problems than answers.Sara Barzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12657215458256536686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536492701084612733.post-37000187017496014322014-09-21T21:17:34.854-04:002014-09-21T21:17:34.854-04:00Aaron, I agree. However, we need not an either/or ...Aaron, I agree. However, we need not an either/or model. What if regular customers could still have a buffet model and irregular customers a per trip model? This would be the best of both worlds, in my opinion.Paul DeMaiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15311271083094779653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536492701084612733.post-20529368428864950842014-09-15T21:56:39.338-04:002014-09-15T21:56:39.338-04:00This is a really interesting article (thanks @shar...This is a really interesting article (thanks @sharrowsDC). A friend of mine specifically complained as a visitor to DC that he was deciding between bikeshare and transit and didn't feel it was fair that he would have to pay $7 for one ride on a bike, vs. $1.75 for a bus. The penalization of single use riders and short-term riders (1-7 day) should really be addressed if possible. <br /><br />You identify one of the reasons I would suggest for the success of the buffet model: encouraging trips. In cities where cycling infrastructure is being developed, you simply want to maximize total system usage and are willing to subsidize that to a certain extent. When I am making a transit decision, having "sunk" the cost of my membership for the year, the cost is removed from the equation and I treat bikeshare as "free" (even though I've paid to use it). Thus my decision tips towards bikeshare more often than not. <br /><br />I also use bikeshare as a quick connector for very short (sub-5-minute) rides that would be discouraged by a pay-per-minute system...maybe rightly so? Putting bikeshare in the same category as Car2Go (initiation fee + pay per minute with max rate per hour) might encourage use by casual riders but feels to me like it would discourage use overallAaron Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08918976861837794533noreply@blogger.com