Overcoming the Challenges of Winter Bike Share Phil Goff, Sr. Associate and Director of Bike Share Services 2/3/15 Presentation AGENDA

 Why a year‐round program is important  The geography of seasonal programs  The challenges to moving beyond seasonal Strategies for expanding operations

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION What is bike share? • Fleet of shared bikes, accessible to members • Member accounts connected to a credit card account • Bikes available for a free period—usually 30‐45 minutes—or additional fee • Short, point‐to‐point trips • Perfect compliment to transit

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION Year‐round bike share vs. seasonal Benefits of a year‐round bike share program: • Functions truly like a transit system • Predictability for annual/monthly members and casual users • Avoids need to re‐deploy every spring • Additional visibility and awareness of bicyclists throughout the winter

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION The geography of seasonal programs

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION The geography of seasonal programs Seasonal programs with partial winter operations

Madison B‐Cycle  ‐ 2015‐16 winter pilot: 6 of 40 stations Hubway Hamilton SoBi  ‐ Year‐round system  ‐ 2015‐16 winter in Cambridge pilot: 200 of 750  ‐ 50% of Boston bikes deployed stations open thru December 31

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION Three Approaches to Partial Operations

1. Less Dense Network o Madison B‐Cycle: Pilot w/ 6 of 40 stations through the winter 2. Limited Service Area o Hubway: 50% of Boston stations through December; 100% year‐round in Cambridge (36 of 140 stations) 3. Fewer Bikes Deployed o Hamilton SoBi: Pilot with 200 of 750 bikes through the winter o Divvy: 33% of fleet in storage o Pittsburgh Healthy Ride: 50% of the fleet in storage

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION The geography of seasonal programs

City(ies) Average Average Annual City System Name Equipment Type Current Number of bikes Operations Population Temp. (F) Winter Low (F) Snow Fall

Boulder, CO Boulder B‐Cycle Dock 101,771 250 bikes (38 stations) Annual 52° 23° 89"

Montreal, QU Bixi Dock 3,824,221 5,000 bikes (460 stations Seasonal 45° 10° 82"

Ottawa, ON VeloGo Dock + Smart Lock 870,250 500 bikes (50 stations) Seasonal 36° 13° 69"

Salt Lake City, UT GREENBike B‐Cycle Dock 189,462 150 bikes (20 stations) Seasonal 55° 30° 56"

Minneapolis, MN Nice Ride Dock 7,000,000 1750 bikes (190 stations) Seasonal 46° 12° 54"

Denver, CO Denver B‐Cycle Dock 634,265 709 bikes (83 stations) Annual 50° 19° 54" Annual (Partial Winter Madison, WI Madison B‐Cycle Dock 240,323 350 bikes (35 stations) 46° 17° 53" Operations) Fargo, ND Great Rides Bike Share Dock 113,658 100 bikes (11 stations) Seasonal 42° 8° 50"

Toronto, ON Bixi Dock 2,800,000 600 ikes (60 stations) Annual 53° 26° 47"

Milwaukee, WI Bublr Bikes Dock 599,642 74 bikes (10 stations) Annual 47° 21° 47" Annual (Partial Winter Hamilton, ON SoBi Smart Lock 740,238 750 bikes (115 stations) 44° 16° 46" Operations) Annual (Partial Winter Greater Boston, MA Hubway Dock 878,786 1,300 bikes (140 stations) 51° 22° 44" Operations) Pittsburgh, PA Healthy Ride Dock + Smart Lock hybrid 306,189 500 bikes (50 stations) Annual 52° 26° 41"

Chicago, IL Divvy Dock 2,715,000 3,000 bikes (300 stations) Annual 50° 23° 36"

New York City, NY Citibike Dock 8,344,000 6,000 bikes (332 stations) Annual 55° 29° 28"

Philadelphia, PA Indego Dock 1,549,000 600 bikes (72 stations) Annual 55° 28° 22"

Boise, ID Boise GreenBike Smart Lock 214,000 110 bikes (15 stations) Annual 52° 27° 19"

Washington, DC Capital Bikeshare Dock 1,010,450 2,900 bikes (346 stations) Annual 55° 29° 14"

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION The geography of seasonal programs

City(ies) Average Average Annual City System Name Equipment Type Current Number of bikes Operations Population Temp. (F) Winter Low (F) Snow Fall

Boulder, CO Boulder B‐Cycle Dock 101,771 250 bikes (38 stations) Annual 52° 23° 89"

Montreal, QU Bixi Dock 3,824,221 5,000 bikes (460 stations Seasonal 45° 10° 82"

Ottawa, ON VeloGo Dock + Smart Lock 870,250 500 bikes (50 stations) Seasonal 36° 13° 69" Salt Lake City, UT GREENBike B‐CycleAverage Dock 189,462Winter 150 bikes (20 stations) Low SeasonalAnnual Snow 55° 30° 56" Minneapolis, MN Nice RideTemperature Dock 7,000,000Temperature 1750 bikes (190 stations) SeasonalFall (inches) 46° 12° 54" Denver, CO Denver B‐Cycle Dock 634,265 709 bikes (83 stations) Annual 50° 19° 54" Annual (Partial Winter Madison, WI SeasonalMadison B‐Cycle45 degrees Dock (F) 240,323 16 350 degrees bikes (35 stations) (F) 57 46° 17° 53" Operations) Fargo, ND ProgramsGreat Rides Bike Share Dock 113,658 100 bikes (11 stations) Seasonal 42° 8° 50"

Toronto, ON Annual Bixi52 degrees Dock (F) 2,800,000 24 600 degrees ikes (60 stations) (F) Annual 39 53° 26° 47" Milwaukee, WIProgramsBublr Bikes Dock 599,642 74 bikes (10 stations) Annual 47° 21° 47" Annual (Partial Winter Hamilton, ON SoBi Smart Lock 740,238 750 bikes (115 stations) 44° 16° 46" Operations) Annual (Partial Winter Greater Boston, MA Hubway Dock 878,786 1,300 bikes (140 stations) 51° 22° 44" Operations) Pittsburgh, PA Healthy Ride Dock + Smart Lock hybrid 306,189 500 bikes (50 stations) Annual 52° 26° 41"

Chicago, IL Divvy Dock 2,715,000 3,000 bikes (300 stations) Annual 50° 23° 36"

New York City, NY Citibike Dock 8,344,000 6,000 bikes (332 stations) Annual 55° 29° 28"

Philadelphia, PA Indego Dock 1,549,000 600 bikes (72 stations) Annual 55° 28° 22"

Boise, ID Boise GreenBike Smart Lock 214,000 110 bikes (15 stations) Annual 52° 27° 19"

Washington, DC Capital Bikeshare Dock 1,010,450 2,900 bikes (346 stations) Annual 55° 29° 14"

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION Moving beyond a seasonal program

Key Challenges • Snow‐clearing policies/procedures • Winterized bike infrastructure • Operations/wear‐and‐tear • Policy/funding challenges • Concerns about low use • User concerns about snow/ice, safety and cold weather

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION Snow clearing policies and procedures

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION Snow clearing policies and procedures

Citibike System 72 hours after 26” of snow

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION Snow clearing policies and procedures

The work of Motivate’s contractors for Hubway in Cambridge

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION Snow clearing policies and procedures

Storm Preparations Snow Clearance • Pittsburgh: place 60% of fleet • Pittsburgh & Milwaukee: non‐ in storage, lock the rest profit does all shoveling • Chicago: rarely shuts down • Chicago: done by vendor; system (2x in 2 years) prioritized list of key stations • NYC & Cambridge: with >12” • Cambridge: vendor shovels of snow, locks down entire and spreads non‐corrosive ice system melt; vendor paid per inch of snow, City pays Motivate fixed price per season

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION Operational issues

Low Temperatures Dealing with salt on roads • Pittsburgh: some problems • Pittsburgh: corrosion‐ with batteries, shifters and resistant spray on bikes and brakes ‘freezing’ cold‐rated lube within hubs • Madison: most stations left in‐ • Cambridge: uses ‘rust‐buster’ place, ‘winterized’, with chains, frequently lubed computer hardware removed • Cambridge and Chicago: hand • Cambridge: bikes removed cleaning of bikes & stations with dock cleared of snow/ice on regular basis (both avoid to prevent freezing power washing due to ice) • Cambridge: one van full of bikes to the shop each night

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION Winterized bicycle infrastructure

Chicago

Hit or miss in Cambridge

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION Policy/funding challenges Milwaukee Bublr • Non‐profit’s mission is to provide transportation year‐round Cambridge Hubway • 2012: 80% of 24‐station launch was off‐street • 2013: surveys showed clear desire for winter service • 2014: Recalculated donor costs for winter operations (no add’l costs for users) New Hubway curb extension in Cambridge

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION Policy/funding challenges

Winter Operations Winter Operations Cost‐related PRO’S Cost‐related CON’S o No removal and storage of o Additional wear and tear equipment required on bikes and stations o Revenues related to walk‐ o Additional replacement of up rentals batteries o Minimal rebalancing due to o Station snow clearance lower use (need for additional staff or contractors)

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION Concerns about low use – Citibike

Summer peak: 1.2 million/month

Winter low: 0.2 million/month (17% of peak)

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION Concerns about low use – Citibike

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION Concerns about low use – Divvy

Summer peak: >500k/month

Winter low: 50k/month (10% of peak)

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION Concerns about low use –Hubway

Cambridge Summer peak: 38k/month

Cambridge Winter low: 5‐10k/month (15‐25% of peak)

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION Concerns about low use –Hubway

Cambridge Summer peak: 12k/month

Cambridge Winter low: <500/month (<5% of peak)

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION Concerns about low use –Others • Milwaukee Bublr o 5500 trips in Oct. 2015 o 1600 trips in Dec. 2015 o Madison B‐Cycle o 16,257 trips in July 2015 (29 trips/dock/month) o 356 trips in Jan. 2016 (3.6 trips/dock/month, 12% of July peak)

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION User concern about safety and cold

Web site and Social Media Strategy • “Winter Rider Safety” – Pittsburgh • “Winter Riding Tips” –NYC, Cambridge, Madison • “Divvy in the Winter” – riding tips and explanation of services provided by Divvy

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION User concern about safety…

Low gearing for Heavy bike (40-45 lbs) Upright position slow speeds = stability w/ good visibility

Wider tires (in Madison, Hub roller brakes for Built-in lights knobby tires for winter) all-weather stopping and generator

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION Divvy’s winter marketing programs

#HOLIDIVVY • ‘Unicorn Bike’ campaign • Winter themed prizes • Mid‐winter free meal for new members

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION Divvy’s winter marketing programs

#DIVVYON • Custom hashtag to connect riders and collect winter images

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION Divvy’s winter marketing programs

Winter Ridership Contest during lead‐in to 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia • Gold Medal: Awarded to any member who took 50+ trips • Silver Medal: Awarded to members who took 25+ trips • Bronze Medal: Awarded to members who took 5+ trips • All medalists were announced on Divvy web site and Social Media

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION Divvy’s winter marketing programs

Leveraging the Media • Divvy Data Challenge: celebrates the release of year‐ end data, which engages members, tech community and media • Member survey: findings released during winter to drum up press

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION Key Lessons for year‐round service

• If possible, bring in third‐party vendor for snow/ice clearance • Plan for off‐street station sites • Expect 15‐20% of peak use • Frequent cleaning a must • Winterize bike if necessary • Market and promote winter riding like crazy

TRANSPORTATION / RECREATION / INNOVATION