Bike Rental Program in the Works?

Vancouver is known as one of the greenest cities in the country. While carpooling and taking public transit significantly reduce the environmental impact of commuting, there is still some pollution involved. Going even greener, a bicycle rental program is being considered for the more densely-populated areas in Vancouver. More specifically, the public bike rental system would serve the downtown core and UBC.

A study was prepared for Translink on the matter and they are looking to the Velib program in Paris for inspiration and direction. There, Parisiens are able to rent a bicycle using a daily, weekly, or monthly pass, picking up a bike at any number of designated stations and returning them at any other station. These stops are located every 900 feet along specific bike-friendly routes in the city.

Vancouver would have some logistical issues to sort out before deploying such a bike transit system, however. Who would pay for it? Maintaining a system with 250 docking stations and 3,800 bikes would cost $10 million a year. Furthermore, the mandatory helmet law provides a unique hurdle. Users wouldn't want to carry a helmet with them everywhere and a loaner program could present issues with hygiene and sizing. Finding space for the bike racks and making improvements to cycling routes are other challenges the city must face.

Would you be interested in a bike rental program? How much would you be willing pay?

Source: Vancouver Sun

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Bike Rental Program in the Works?

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