The Bike-sharing World - Last Week of April 2012

Asia:
China
                   Wuhan

Xinfeider Public Bikes debuts it new bike station. The multi-language kiosk boasts a very large touch screen. It can serve as an information center. It can print out directional maps or special coupons for system users for near-by shopping. It could also be used by those needing directions. The station has electric battery recharging capability and a recycling container for used batteries for electric bicycle compatibility. With advance connectivity, the new bike station could serve much more transit options for central payment and ticketing. Xinfeider took the lead in the consolidation of Wuhan's multiple bike-sharing systems. According to a recent report from the Hubei Department of Tranportation, there are now 1,218 public bike service sites of which 700 are smart lease sites, and of those, 150 use solar energy. There are 70,000 public bicycles in the system and this year they will invest in another 20,000 for a total of 90,000 vehicles.

North America:
USA
                   Chattanooga

Cable Lock

Chattanooga Bicycle Transit System is to take to the streets. Watch this catchy video. This southeastern city of around 170,000 people in Tennessee is to have 300 bikes in 30 stations. It offers only yearly subscriptions at $75 (special $60 introductory offer until May 31, 2012) and day memberships for $6. In a break from most U.S. automated bike-sharing systems, Chattanooga offers a one-hour initial usage period at no charge rather than the usual 30 minutes. According to WRCB TV, the system is scheduled to launch on April 25, 2012.

The service is operated by Alta Bicycle Share with equipment from PBSC. It is a first city installation using a PBSC bicycle with an intergrated auxiliary cable locking system to secure the bike away from a docking station and a passive GPS system. Also new are the "Urban Solution" version 3.0 kiosk at the docking stations.

Update: The Chattanooga Bicycle Transit System was originally scheduled to launch on April 25, 2012. The launch was postponed twice due to technical problems with a new operating system according to the program's press release.


Europe:
Germany
                   Kassel

Konrad is the name of the new Call a Bike - DB Rent system in Kassel, Germany. It begins operation this week with 500 bikes in 50 stations. There are no subscriptions to this system and every 30 minutes of usage are charged at € 0.50 (65¢ US). It is necessary to sign up for free at a station or over the phone for a € 3 ($4 US) charge which is then credited against usage. Each Kassel bus ticket will give a 30 minutes credit on the system also.


                    Mainz

After starting with a small bike-sharing pilot program last year, Mainz, Germany a city of 200,000, began a full program called MDVmeinRAD this week. Run by the city transit system, the new train and bus eticket will operate at the current 50 bike stations and will access all 1,000 bikes and 120 solar-powered stations when the system is complete this fall.


images: Xinfeider, Chattanooga Bicycle Transit , Konrad, MGVmeimRad,


Russell Meddin    bikesharephiladelphia.org

The Bike-sharing World: March 2011

Europe:

StadtRad in Hamburg, Germany adds better functionality to its bike-sharing system making it easier to pick up and return a bike. In this bike-sharing era, there is much talk about smart mobile phones accessing new P2P (peer to peer) and social bike systems where no stations are necessary (i.e. "flexible" systems). In Germany where Call-a-Bike and nextbike have been mostly accessed by mobile phone, the newer systems such as StadtRad in Hamburg and Berlin have now added walk up kiosks as well. Beginning the first of this month in Hamburg, an RFID (radio frequency ID) membership card can be tapped on a bike's lock to release it. Tap the lock again with your RFID card when the bike is returned to lock the bike at any of the stations. Also, in Mainz, Germany, a system of 1,000 bikes in 120 stations, similar to StadtRad Hamburg, is currently under construction.

Nuremberg, Germany also starts a new RFID card system in two months. NorisBike will have 750 bikes throughout 65 stations. As attractive as smart phone based bike-sharing seems, the country that has used telephone bike-sharing for years is now moving to incorporate card-based kiosk stations to better serve its cities.

Europe-Australia:

Our friend Mike Rubo of the Sit-up cycles blog has made a new film with inciteful interviews from Barcelona's Bicing system. It explains how this system should be used as a model to improve bike-sharing in his native Australia.

In North America:

The Ides of March will grab lots of eyes as the sexiest bike-sharing system, DecoBikes, starts in Miami Beach Florida. Grab you bathing suit and take a ride on South Beach and enjoy the scenery!

Bike-sharing to return to Ottawa- Gatineau, Canada this May after a one year hiatus. The National Capital Commission (NCC) has approved a Capital bIXI system with 10 stations and 100 bikes for Canada's seat of government. NCC hopes to increase the size of the system to 500 bikes and 50 stations. Capital bIXI and Toronto bIXI will join Montréal bIXI in Canadian bike-sharing this year.

Crain Business News is reporting that Alta Bicycle Share and Trek B-cycle as finalist in the running for the New York City Bike-sharing contract for a system to begin late this fall or early next year.

images: Radio-Hamburg & DecoBike

Russell Meddin bikesharephiladelphia.org