The successful community bike share

How Carmel, , launched and grew an exemplary bike-sharing program Bike-sharing programs are on the rise in America— and for good reason.

They offer ample economic and public health benefits to communities. “I love … And with car culture waning, Americans are increasingly seeing biking as a It’s been a great product for us.” practical, everyday mode of transportation.

Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard However, until recently, the complexity bike-sharing model, many smaller and cost of running a successful bike communities are now also enjoying all share confined most systems to major the benefits that bike shares have to metropolitan markets. So while high- offer. density cities like New York and Boston debuted vaunted programs, smaller This case study documents how Zagster municipalities were left behind. helped one of those communities, Carmel, Indiana, achieve its longtime That’s no longer the case. Thanks to goal of building — and growing — a innovative updates to the traditional successful bike share program. “A bike share is one of many components to make a city like ours work well.”

- Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard

Carmel has long been considered cycling foundation. And with direct one of America’s best places to live. (In access to the Monon Trail — a greenway 2012, the city took top honors in Money that runs into neighboring magazine’s annual ranking.) In part, that — Carmel had a natural bike corridor renown has come thanks to initiatives waiting to be tapped. intended to counter sprawl and increase The inspiration walkability — goals that made urban The launch of bike shares in Paris (2007) cycling a natural consideration. and Washington, D.C., (2010) piqued Carmel’s interest in doing something “We have designed cities over the last similar. Yet exploration into available 60 to 70 years where people aren’t bike-sharing models led Carmel to a required to walk or get any exercise on dispiriting conclusion: Bike sharing was a daily basis,” says Carmel Mayor Jim simply too expensive and unwieldy for a Brainard. “We’re trying to change that city of Carmel’s size. in this city [by] going back to the way we designed cities for centuries before Then, in 2014, Indianapolis announced the car came along. Bike transportation its Pacers bike-sharing system, and was a big part of that.” Carmel saw an opportunity. “We dusted off our old plans,” says David Littlejohn, Progressive transportation planning Carmel’s alternative transportation created multi-use paths and laid a solid coordinator. Launching a bike share is not without its challenges. And in Carmel, those challenges fell into two main categories.

Logistical obstacles Financial obstacles

Carmel hoped to partner with Traditional bike-sharing models require Indianapolis’ program, but the private significant investments of time, money, operator, BCycle, was unable to and resources up front. Programs accommodate the community’s needs. typically call for hefty capital investments BCycle doubted a suburban extension from the city or sponsors in advance, Hills to climb would see enough use. And though with expansions likewise done in big, the company would have administered expensive chunks — an onerous ask for both programs, quirks in the system a city of any size. model made integration between the two neighbors unworkable. Plus, even if had Carmel moved ahead with a Pacers extension, it still would Density was also a major sticking point. have had to establish, fund, and Though Carmel strove to be more operate its program independently. compact than the average American Meaning, the city would have been suburb, it still lacked the density big- stuck paying costly upkeep on a swiftly city bike-sharing models demanded. depreciating asset. Littlejohn remembers one study that insisted docking kiosks be built every 300 meters or so, “which was not going to be possible here in Carmel.” “It seemed like the Zagster model would fit right in with what Carmel is trying to implement here in the city for our community members.”

- David Littlejohn, Carmel’s alternative transportation coordinator

Stumped yet determined, Carmel the program, Carmel would maintain reached out to Zagster — and found the complete control. That “made it easier How Zagster got Carmel rolling solution it needed. for us to be able to initiate the program and make sure that it’s being run the Unlike other providers, Zagster included way that the city thinks that it needs to in a single contract all the equipment be run,” Littlejohn says. and service — everything from hardware and software, to maintenance and Zagster also kept operational costs marketing — necessary to launch and low because the company handled grow a bike share. all the post-launch nitty-gritty. And because Zagster has a shared interest in “The city spends very little on it sustaining and growing the system, that because of the structure that Zagster eases the financial burden on Carmel has provided,” Mayor Brainard says. going forward.

The unique contract format also meant that while Zagster would run “We were probably going to have to hire Then there were the long-held concerns about a new employee to density. Here, again, Zagster offered a viable be able to take on all solution. 8 stations, 64 bikes of that maintenance and re-balance. The Unlike traditional programs whose kiosks require fact that [Zagster] riders to constantly swap bikes mid-ride, Zagster allows users to lock up anywhere along the way. provides it saves us the By reducing the need for extra stations to support new employee that we short stops, Zagster enabled Carmel to start small would have had to hire before building out. The city originally identified just to run the program.” 12 potential station locations, but opted to start - David Littlejohn, alternative with just two docks and 22 bikes. “Then we started to grow, knowing that we had some partners who transportation coordinator wanted to come on board but that we’d made that first investment,” Littlejohn says.

Zagster’s model also made scalability easy because it allowed for cross-compatibility between new stations — and other systems — in and outside Carmel. Businesses can work directly total rides with Zagster and Carmel to sponsor stations or 3000 implement bike-share programs that link to the

broader network. “Because of the way that you 2500

work, and the way that your infrastructure is, it 2638 would be very easy for programs to co-relate,” 2000 2392 Littlejohn says. 1500 1968 The swift turnaround from conception to 1000 completion was a nice bonus. Carmel began 1377 communicating with Zagster in late 2014; the 500 860 city’s program launched in April the following

year. 0 June 2015 July 2015 Aug 2015 Sept 2015 Oct 2015 On its first birthday, Carmel’s bike share riders coming from miles away, or out of is a resounding success. The program state. bolstered the city’s image, making it a more appealing place to work, live, or Then there are the health benefits. just spend an afternoon. “It’s made it a Again, Mayor Brainard: “You don’t more fun place to visit,” Mayor Brainard know how many 70- and 80-year-olds says. “It’s made it a better place for I’ve talked to who say, ‘You know, I was millennials that don’t want to necessarily overweight, and I’m getting out every own a car and want to be able to have day now on the trail, either walking or alternative transportation options. It’s just riding the bike, riding Zagster … It really made it more fun for our residents.” has made the community healthier.”

In making Carmel a more attractive All of which is to say: Carmel was already the successful community bike share destination, “Zagster has helped our a first-rate U.S. city; Zagster helped make economy in many ways,” Mayor Brainard it even better. says. City officials say they’ve seen considerable usage in business areas, and data shows a high percentage of

“It’s all about competition. It’s about city design. It’s about what we do with what we have — and Zagster is a part of that puzzle.”

- Mayor Jim Brainard Thrilled with the early returns, Carmel is looking to further expand its bike- sharing program. Here, too, Zagster is empowering the city’s efforts.

Revenue from bike sharing “will be re- not a problem with Zagster. Carmel’s invested in the program,” Littlejohn neighboring town of Westfield is says, for future amenities and outreach. preparing to roll out a compatible Partnerships with local agencies and Zagster program in spring 2016. businesses will also reduce the cost to taxpayers while allowing the system Bike Shares for Everyone to grow organically. “Not only can you grow it incrementally, but you can grow Carmel is a prime example of how it incrementally with partners,” Brainard smaller cities can overcome inherent the road ahead says. logistical and financial constraints to launch exemplary bike-sharing Moreover, because Carmel isn’t on the systems. When other models proved too hook for depreciating infrastructure, cumbersome and expensive, Zagster the city can easily upgrade to the latest provided a tailored, scalable, and cost- and greatest technology. “In two years, effective solution perfectly suited to who knows what could be developed,” Carmel’s needs. Littlejohn says. “And we will have access to that new technology and not have to So what would Mayor Brainard say to just rely on the stuff that we bought years other elected officials considering bike ago.” shares in other communities? “I would encourage them to get a bike-share And recall the roadblocks Carmel program,” he says. “It’s healthy for encountered when trying to partner the community, it creates a sense of with Indianapolis’ bike share? That’s community — and it’s just fun.” “Everything we do to raise the quality of life, including creating a bike share with a great company like Zagster, helps make this a more competitive place. A better place.”

Mayor Jim Brainard

better Bring bike sharing to on a your city at zagster.com bike.