Public Bicycle Sharing and Rental Programs 2014 Transportation Research Board Transportation and Federal Lands Rebecca Gleason, PE Research Engineer Mobility & Public Transportation September, 2014 Organization • Background • Public bicycle sharing • Bike rentals • Looking forward for bikes in Federal Lands Background • Funded by FHWA Federal Lands Highways and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Refuge Roads What is bike sharing? • A form of public transportation • Bikes for short-term use at network of stations • Bikes can be checked out from one place and returned to another, allowing for one way trips Bike Sharing Long History in Europe • 1960’s Amsterdam White bikes – unregulated, high theft • 1995 Copenhagen City Bikes – coin deposit • 2005 Lyon, France Velo’v – credit card checkout, identify user, turning point • 2007 Paris Vélib’ launched with 7,000 bikes. In 2010, had 23,600 bikes. Bike Sharing Short History in U.S. • Nice Ride Minnesota, Minneapolis – June 2010 launch (over 100 stations, over 1000 bikes in 2011) • Denver B-Cycle, Colorado – April 2010 launch (50 stations, 500 bikes) • Capital Bikeshare Washington, DC and Arlington, Virginia – Sept. 2010 launch (114 stations, 1100 bikes) Nice Ride Minnesota • City Population: 337,392 in Minneapolis • Metro area population: 3.1 million • Density: 6,721 people per square mile • Vendor: Public Bicycle System • Operator: Nice Ride Minnesota (non profit) Nice Ride Key Features • Closely spaced stations • “Smart” bikes communicate with admin system • Portable and modular stations • Durable (heavy) bikes designed for short trips Nice Ride Minnesota (Photo: WTI) Photos by: Andrew Duvall slide9 Nice Ride – How it works 1. Must have membership – $60 for annual, – $30 for 30 days or – $5 for 24-hours Nice Ride membership key (Photo: R. Gleason) 2. Members ride free for first half hour, with increasing fees for longer trips. Nice Ride –Cost to Ride Membership length Membership Cost 24 hour $5 5 or 7-day NA 30 day $30 One year $60 Nice Ride and NPS Ranger (Photo: NPS) Nice Ride How it works • Fee structure encourages short trips, high turnover to make bikes available to more people • Open 24 hrs/day, 7 days a week April to November- CONVENIENT Nice Ride Start Up and Operating Costs • Start up - $3 million for system with 700 bikes/ 65 stations [1] – average $4,285 per bike (with all system components) • Operating costs – estimated $1.5 million annually [2] – average $180 per bike each month [1] Draft Report Phase 2 Planning-Nice Ride Minnesota, Dec. 2010 [2] City of Minneapolis Non-Profit Business Plan for Twin Cities Bike Share System, 2008. Nice Ride Funding/ Partners • Public and private funds - $3 million capital costs primary sources: – $1.75 M -FHWA Non-motorized Transportation Pilot Project – $1 M - Blue Cross/ Blue Shield of MN Center for Prevention (funded by historic tobacco litigation settlement). – $250,000 City of Minneapolis Convention Center Fund Nice Ride Partners • Many local businesses and organizations sponsor stations. • The system recognizes sponsors; they do not sell advertising. • Local professionals donated hundreds of hours of staff time – Legal, design, marketing, accounting, public relations and web development firms Nice Ride Safety and Legal Liability 1. Bicycle Friendly Community 2. User agreement -liability waiver 3. 3rd party operator (non-profit organization) 4. Operator carries insurance (workers compensation, commercial liability and auto liability) Nice Ride Safety and Legal Liability • Ongoing safety outreach/ education • During 1st year: – one bike lost, – one crash and – no accidents with injuries • Bill Dossett, 2011, January webinar Benefits of Bike Sharing • Increase acceptance of bikes as transportation • Create a positive image • Motivate people to be more active • Attract tourists Nice Ride tour in Minneapolis (photo: WTI) Places that support automated bike sharing have 1. Places people feel comfortable biking 2. High population densities 3. Short distances between destinations 4. Connections to public transit systems 5. Strong political and public support Nice Ride Minnesota Launched June 2010 with 700 bicycles at 65 stations Bike Sharing and Federal Lands • National Mall and Memorial Parks - Capital Bike share • San Antonio Missions National Historical Park - B-Cycle • Mississippi National River and Recreation Area - Nice Ride Minnesota Capital Bikeshare National Academy of Sciences Bike Share Limitations • Heavy bikes • No provisions for children or people with disabilities Denver B-Cycle (Photo: A. Duvall) Bike rental programs • Aimed at recreational rides • Various style bikes • Children’s bikes and trailers. • Most common bike program in Federal lands Bike Rentals Grand Canyon National Park Annual visitation: 4.4 million • Bikes envisioned in 1995 General Management Plan • Bikes included in 2008 South Rim Transportation Plan Grand Canyon’s Bike Rentals • NPS goals for bike rental: – provide visitors access to park sites without needing a personal vehicle – improve visitor experience (NPS Commercial Use Authorization, 2010). Grand Canyon Bright Angels Bikes Established May 2010 • 85 bikes – cruiser and 7–speed bikes, 5 different sizes, children’s bikes and trailers • Single location at South Rim Visitors Center • May to Sept. 8 am – 6 pm – March, April, Oct., Nov. if Bright Angels Bikes weather permits (Photo: F. Gimmler) Grand Canyon’s Bike Rentals Funding Business model • Private for profit operator • NPS temporary Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) for bike rentals Capital/Start-up Costs • $60,000 (for 85 bikes, shuttle van, helmets and gear) • Ave. $706 per bike Annual Operating Costs in 2010 • $140,000 • average $1647 per bike annually cost information from Kyle George, 2011 Grand Canyon South Rim (photo: D. Weiss) Grand Canyon’s Bike Rentals Family of 4 cost • half day ride $25 x 2 + $15 x 2 = $80 • full day ride $35 x 2 + $25 x 2 = $120 Adult Children (17 Trailer and under) 1 Hour $10 $7 $6 ½ Day $25 $15 $10 (4 hrs) Full Day $35 $25 $12 (8 hrs) Multi-Day $30 $20 $15 24-hours $45 $35 $15 Grand Canyon’s Bike Rentals Safety and Legal Liability 1. Bike friendly places (greenway, shuttle bus only road) 2. Third party operator 3. Rider responsibility • Rider safety orientation • Bike rental includes helmet and safety vest 4. Bike rental operator carries insurance • Help visitors choose a ride that they will enjoy • Combine shuttle and bikes Map and ride information courtesy Bright Angels Bicycles Grand Canyon’s Bike Rentals • Bike rental new service in 2010 • Well received by NPS managers and visitors • Plans for 10-yr concession contract combining bike rentals/ Biking Grand food service. Canyon south rim (photo: D. Weiss) How is Bike Sharing different than Bike Rentals? 1. Trip length 2. Check out/return options 3. Trip type (recreation/ transportation) 4. Business model 5. Technology 6. Options for kids and people with disabilities Consider bike rentals in Federal lands that have • Bike friendly places to ride • Rural settings • Longer distances between attractions • Dirt trails or hilly terrain Combining Bike Rental and Sharing Concepts • Banff bike rentals at farmers market • Pittsburgh bike rentals– 335 mile Great Allegheny Passage/ C&O Canal trail to DC Banff bikes at farmers market (belt drives) Belt drive rental bike in Banff Employee bike fleets • For employees or students with organization (not for public use) • Use standard bikes • Low cost, simple to start • Already in Federal lands! NPS Midwest Regional office Omaha, Nebraska (photo: NPS) Glacier NP Montana Red Bikes (photo: NPS) What did we talk about? • Public bike sharing • Bike rentals • Employee bikes Consider bike sharing in places that have 1. Bike friendly places 2. High population densities (or visitation) 3. Short distances between destinations 4. Connections to public transit systems 5. Strong political and public support Consider bike rentals in Federal lands that have • Bike friendly places • Rural settings • Longer distances between attractions • Dirt trails or hilly terrain Looking forward • Must have bike friendly places • Streets are for moving people • 8 to 80 Looking Forward League of American Bicyclists Bicycle Friendly programs • Engineering • Education • Encouragement • Enforcement • Evaluation Bike Friendly Minneapolis (photo: NPS) Looking forward • Many new technical resources – NACTO urban bikeway and streets guide – ASSHTO bike design guide – Green Lane Project Looking forward • Coming soon! – FHWA separated bike lane planning and design document – FHWA Road Diet Guide – Alta and WTI small town and rural streets design guide project starting October 2014 Road Diet • Peach Street (N. 7th to Rouse) – Removed parking on south side – Shifted road centerline north – Striped bike lanes on both sides Peach St. Before Peach St. After In Closing • Not a technical issue • Not a financial issue • It is a political issue .