Streetfilms on SmartBike DC

The good folks from Streetfilms recently came to D.C. to check-out our new SmartBike DC program and I joined them. This was our maiden voyage on the bikes and enthusiasticly I give the system the grade of an A-. The bikes were comfortable, clean, tires had good air pressure, the bike handled turns well, and the gears worked smoothly. The only problem was the station's computer was having a short-lived technical issue which fixed itself.

I understand that 350 memberships have been sold so far and that a limit of memberships may have to be put in place until more bikes and stations can be put out. If a limit were put into place, I hope D.C. residents are prioritized in who may receive their smartcards as their public space is paying for the program. This wouldn't be a first. Barcelona also limited membership to residents when they first started.

Washington, D.C. Launches North America’s First Bike-sharing

It’s official! North America’s first high-tech bike-sharing program has launched! SmartBike DC opened for business today with 60 of its 120 bikes and 10 stations becoming available to the public. According to The Washington Post, Jim Sebastian, DC’s Bicycle Program Manager has said that the service will only be available to registered customers. The launch should provide the D.C. government and the program’s operator, Clear Channel Outdoor, sufficient time to expand and adjust the program for a larger program next year.

Today marks the beginning of a new era for bicycling in the United States. Due to fuel prices and the resultant affects such as the beginning of a contraction of exurbs (or distant suburbs) and shifts away from single occupant vehicle travel to transit and biking, a colleague has said that the U.S. is beginning to renegotiate the social contract we have with public space.

For a video on the bikes, local TV station NBC4 has this.

Upcoming launches in North America should be as follows:

Aug:
Democratic National Convention (Denver) - Freewheelin' by Humana

Sept:
Republican National Convention (Minneapolis & St. Paul) - Freewheelin'
St. Xavier Univ. (Chicago) - Veolia
Montreal - Public Bike System by Stationnement de Montreal

It's going to be a busy fall, bike-share fans!

image credit: Getty Images

SmartBike DC Beta testing

According to DCist, SmartBike DC has begun beta testing to ensure the technology is operating correctly. Folks may apply for their smartcard now at the program Website. The launch is near!

Rebirth of Bicycling in the U.S.

D.C.'s Bicycle Program Manager, Jim Sebastian
at a new SmartBike DC station

Forty years ago at this very intersection of 14th and U Streets Northwest in Washington, D.C., riots broke out after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968. The commercial corridors of both streets burned for three days. This neighborhood finally has been rebuilding itself from the ashes of the riots to recapture the hope and dreams it once had. Today the U Street neighborhood is one of the hottest neighborhoods in D.C. with some of the best restaurants, bars, and entertainment the city has to offer.

At this very same intersection is America's first bike-sharing station and the rebirth of bicycling in the United States. With this I hope we can rebuild American society from the auto-dominated car culture we've developed since World War II into a progressive and eco-friendly society that is transit-dominated and pedal-powered, not fossil-fuel powered.

The 10 SmartBike DC racks are popping up throughout the city with a soft launch expected in April (maybe Earth Day?) and the full launch in May. The stations are not powered yet, nor are bikes available. This, and the future of bicycling in the U.S., should all change in the next few weeks.

image credit: Jim Sebastian

This is How We Roll

An article in the April Continental Airlines magazine, titled "This is How We Roll", talks about Washington, D.C.'s upcoming bike-sharing program and has some really great quotes from the many people with which the reporter spoke.

"Buoyed by the runaway success of bike-share programs in such European cities as Paris, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Oslo, proponents [of bike-sharing] see the United States as the next frontier." With apologies from Star Trek - To boldly go where no bicycle has gone before. (Well, not exactly "no bicycle" as the U.S. only has a bicycle mode share of about 1%. Low numbers are easier to double though.)

Another good quote:
“ 'We always go on and on about how Americans have a love affair with their cars,' says Andy Clarke, executive director of the League of American Bicyclists. 'But I’ve always felt they also have a love affair with the quickest, easiest, cheapest, most convenient way to get around. And if we make that something other than the car, Americans will love that just as much.'

D.C. is an ideal location for the U.S.'s first 3rd generation bike-sharing program. Yes, it's a big city which would provide a good example for other big- and medium-sized American cities. Yes, D.C. is becoming more bike-friendly with more miles of bike lanes and more bike parking. Yes, bike culture is growing in D.C. And yes, MetroBike is located here, so we would get to use the system daily. But there is another important reason that should not be overlooked. What is this fact?

" 'That fact, says DeMaio, is the U.S. capital is an ideal launching pad. 'We have Congress — the senators and the representatives and their staff who will be using these bikes every day will see how wonderful they are, and then they’ll want them back in their home states.' "

Let's call this bicycle osmosis.


image credit: Continental Airlines magazine

SmartBike DC Program Website

At a recent presentation about the SmartBike DC program, it was announced the program will launch in Spring 2008. The program had been set for a March launch, however, there had been some minor setbacks due to the local power company wanting to meter each individual station rather than charge a flat rate per station.

According to the new SmartBike DC Website, bikes will be available from 6am - 10pm daily. While equivalent in operating hours with a bus or rail transit system, these hours are curious for an automated system and I could only guess what the rationale is - alcohol, crime? The bikes are certainly equipped with dynamo lights on the front and rear for safe night riding. As The Bike-sharing Blog reported on February 8 with data from Paris officials, a quarter of Velib's use is during the hours of 9pm - 3am. So it would seem prudent if D.C.'s program were kept open at all times with the goal being to encourage greater use as 25% is a substantial portion of ridership.

Customers will be able to use the bikes for up to 3 hours at a time. If returned after 3 hours, a penalty point will be assessed to the individual's account. After 3 penalty points, the customer is prevented from checking-out another bike. Additionally, there will be a $200 replacement fee for lost or stolen bikes. This is a generous policy for customers as it's more time than most of this program's sister cities offer. The downside of a longer check-out time is less turnover of the bikes and therefore fewer uses. Velib' data reports the average trip duration is 20 minutes for their 30-minute free period.

Stations will be located at Logan Circle, Metro Center, Dupont Circle, U Street, Shaw, Foggy Bottom, Gallery Place, McPherson Square, and Mt. Vernon Place. The closest distance between adjacent stations is about 0.2 mi (0.3 km), the furthest distance is 0.9 mi (1.5 km).

image credit: Wikipedia