For a new mode of transit and a fledgling service, Arlington’s
portion of Capital Bikeshare (CaBi) finished its first year with a cost
recovery rate that other transit providers in the U.S. would find
admirable. The regional CaBi service launched on September 20, 2010 and
Arlington’s portion achieved
an 81% a 53% cost recovery – the ratio of
revenues to operating costs – during its first year. Compared to other
bikesharing services in the U.S., CaBi did well considering it was the
only year-round service at the time. Compared to other modes of transit
in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, CaBi fares well, but still has a way to
go.
Bikeshare Systems Ratio Year
Capital Bikeshare (Arlington)
53% 81% 2011 (operates year-round)
Capital Bikeshare (DC)
120%
* 2011 (operates year-round)
Denver Bike Sharing 149%
* 2010 (operates 7.3 months/year)
Note: Percentages for the latter two do not include management and marketing costs.
Rail Systems Ratio Year
U.S.A.
Chicago (CTA) 53.1% 2010
New York City (NYCT) 71.7% 2010
Philadelphia (SEPTA) 51.1% 2010
Washington, DC (WMATA) 62.1% 2010
Europe
Amsterdam 41.3% 2007
Berlin 70.3% 2010
Brussels 35.2% 2007
Asia
Hong Kong (MTR) 149% 2007
Taipei (MRT) 119% 2006
Bus Systems Ratio Year
Arlington, VA (ART) 35.5% 2011
Chicago (CTA) 38.2% 2010
New York City (NYCT) 36.6% 2010
Philadelphia (SEPTA) 28.5% 2010
Washington, DC (WMATA) 19.4% 2010
Arlington’s portion of the CaBi service had $218,000 in revenues
(from memberships, user fees, and sponsorships) and $270,000 in
operating expenses from Alta Bicycle Share. Additionally, marketing and
management costs were $142,000 for a total Year 1 expense of $412,000,
which equates to revenues covering 53% of program expenses. Operating
expenses were $155 per bike per month.
If not including marketing and management expenses, then Arlington's cost recovery is 81%.
We’ve blogged about bikesharing being an economical transport mode
for both customers and local governments, but now we have the data to
document it. CaBi began operations with 14 stations and 110 bikes and
completed its first year with 18 stations and 113 bikes. Only three
bikes were needed to be added as the service shifted from a 67%
bike-to-dock ratio to 50% to improve bike balancing operations.
Arlington’s portion of CaBi benefitted from being a regional service
with D.C.’s 100 stations.
We have lots of impressive data to share on CaBi’s first year of
service from 9/20/10 – 9/19/11. Here are some interesting
Arlington-specific CaBi facts:
- total trips starting in Arlington: 50,372 trips
- total trips ending in Arlington: 50,115 trips
- total trips regionally: 999,759 trips
- total miles of trips starting in Arlington: 46,776 miles
- average Arlington trip length: 1.04 miles
- average trip duration: 19 minutes
- total CO2 saved from trips starting in Arlington: 6,268 pounds
- total calories burned from trips starting in Arlington: 2,011,368
- total minutes of trips starting in Arlington: 1,180,830 minutes (21,293,622 minutes regionally)
- number of Arlington members of each type: 1,165 annual, 111 month, 144 5-day, 4,228 1-day
- number of crashes in Arlington: 1 crash
- bikes stolen in Arlington: 0
We’re well into our second year and now up to 23 stations and 145
bikes. Service expansion is continuing in the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor
with 21 more stations and 144 more bikes coming online in the spring,
nearly doubling the size of Arlington’s service. Additionally, we have
funding to add another 25 stations in FY13. We look forward to
increasing CaBi’s impact in the County by reaching more neighborhoods
and folks, making CaBi an integral part of everyone’s lives – whether
you live, work, or play in Arlington.
Sources:
Denver Bike Sharing 2010 Annual Report
National Transit Database Data
Wikipedia Fare box Recovery Ratio
Cross-posted on CommuterPageBlog
