NYC bike share prices

[fiamme red]

http://www.citibikenyc.com/how-it-works

$1,000 for losing a bike or having it stolen? :eek:

http://www.citibikenyc.com/assets/images/how-it-works/kiosk-decal.png

[moose8]

[QUOTE
$1,000 for losing a bike or having it stolen? :eek:

[/QUOTE]

I've been using the Boston based one which has the same policy and I have to say I love it - since the stations are throughout the city, you never leave the bike anywhere but the stations where they lock, which means losing it or having it stolen is almost impossible. I certainly wouldn't leave it unattended anywhere for sure.

[christian]

I am so down for this. With an office on Park/48th and an office downtown, I am going to be officially "4-train free"! :)

[vav]

I found one of these bikes abandoned in Boston. Called the police and they carried it away. Hopefully nobody got charged if stolen from them.

[AngryScientist]

I'm missing it, when does this program go live?

[67-59]

I'm missing it, when does this program go live?

It took a while for me to find it, but one of the FAQs mentioned June, but I couldn't find an exact date....

[MattTuck]

For a small fee, you can have the pleasure of riding the same streets that NYC cab drivers and bike messengers spend all their time on... :eek:


At the end of the ride, do you get a survivor's medal?

[Fixed]

It seems to work well in Montreal
Cheers

[flydhest]

works great in DC, too.

this is awesome. I will be using it on trips to NYC once it is up and running.

[fiamme red]

works great in DC, too.NYC's bike share is significantly more expensive:

http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2012/05/07/new-yorks-expensive-bikeshare/

As with all bike schemes, there’s a base price to enter the scheme — $10 per day, $25 per week, or $95 per year. Then the first half-hour of bike riding is free (45 minutes if you’re an annual member); after that, you pay on a per-ride basis as well, starting at $4 when you bike for more than half an hour.

The $10-per-day cost is already a significant expense: that’s four subway rides right there. And then the hourly charges really start to rack up if you keep the bike for some length of time. If you take the bike around Governor’s Island, for instance, and stay there for a couple of hours, you’re likely going to end up in the 3-hour time bracket, which is $49. On top of your $10 daily rental. As Garth Johnston puts it, for any real let’s-bike-around-the-city plans, you’re definitely going to be better off just buying your own bike.

What’s more, New York is significantly more expensive than similar schemes in rival cities like Washington and London...

[weiwentg]

What’s more, New York is significantly more expensive than similar schemes in rival cities like Washington and London...[/I]

It's run by Citi, which nearly blew up the economy and went under. They need the money.

[sandyrs]

It's run by Citi, which nearly blew up the economy and went under. They need the money.

does anyone else find it offputting that citi has their name on this? first they took shea stadium, now this.

[torquer]

Cheaper than Montreal, though.

Like with most other things, it's just expensive living at the center of the universe.

Sure, it's cheaper to buy a bike, but that's not a reasonable option for us commuters with offices in the city. And even for those who live here (but are not committed riders), bike storage in cramped apartments is a problem.

[fiamme red]

Sure, it's cheaper to buy a bike, but that's not a reasonable option for us commuters with offices in the city. And even for those who live here (but are not committed riders), bike storage in cramped apartments is a problem.The answer is a folding bike. Any Dahon would ride better than a Citibike, and you won't look like an ATM on wheels.

[christian]

The answer is a folding bike.I'm sorry, but to what question? I sure as **** am not lugging a Brompton to work every day on the chance I have a meeting downtown. However, if I have convenient access to a bike and the marginal cost thereof is lower than a subway ride, I'm likely to take the bike.

[nooneline]

It's run by Citi, which nearly blew up the economy and went under. They need the money.

no, it's run by NYC Bike Share LLC, which is a subsidiary of Alta, which pretty much only does city-scale bike share systems.

Citi bank is an advertiser.

That $1000 fee for lost or stolen bikes is just a way for them to say "Don't lock it up, just return it to one of the docks, dummy!"

Since it's free for half-hour trips, the idea is that they want to encourage shorter trips. Want a bike for a half hour? Take one, return it to another station before your half hour is up, and then take out a new one.

[Ti_on_Steel]

The nice thing about this is you can also take the train to work, and then ride your bike home if you want. Or, if you ride to work, then want to go out for dinner after work, your not stuck with your bike all night.

Also, the pricing is designed to discourage people from using them to go ride around the park. It is meant for urban commuting, not casual cycling.

Can't wait for it to start!

[EDS]

Cheaper than Montreal, though.

Like with most other things, it's just expensive living at the center of the universe.

Sure, it's cheaper to buy a bike, but that's not a reasonable option for us commuters with offices in the city. And even for those who live here (but are not committed riders), bike storage in cramped apartments is a problem.

Isn't the group that won the bid for NYC the same as in Montreal?

[Ken Robb]

I am so down for this. With an office on Park/48th and an office downtown, I am going to be officially "4-train free"! :)

Back in the Paleolithic age my office was at 60 West 49th. St. Very near Rene Dreyfuss' Cafe Chanticleer.

[flydhest]

Everything in NYC is more expensive than in DC.

The economist in me says they will work it out somehow. I could easily see 10 trips in a single day, though, given the way me and the missus go all over NY. We would do much more in each day this way. I think the comparison to the subway is good. $10 per day and as many short rides as you want. We often take subway rides of three to five stops. Easily within a half hour bike ride.



NYC's bike share is significantly more expensive:

http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2012/05/07/new-yorks-expensive-bikeshare/

As with all bike schemes, there’s a base price to enter the scheme — $10 per day, $25 per week, or $95 per year. Then the first half-hour of bike riding is free (45 minutes if you’re an annual member); after that, you pay on a per-ride basis as well, starting at $4 when you bike for more than half an hour.

The $10-per-day cost is already a significant expense: that’s four subway rides right there. And then the hourly charges really start to rack up if you keep the bike for some length of time. If you take the bike around Governor’s Island, for instance, and stay there for a couple of hours, you’re likely going to end up in the 3-hour time bracket, which is $49. On top of your $10 daily rental. As Garth Johnston puts it, for any real let’s-bike-around-the-city plans, you’re definitely going to be better off just buying your own bike.

What’s more, New York is significantly more expensive than similar schemes in rival cities like Washington and London...

[fiamme red]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/18/nyregion/bike-share-program-delayed-until-spring-bloomberg-says.html?_r=1&hp

Speaking on his morning radio show, Mr. Bloomberg attributed the decision to software problems, which he has cited repeatedly in recent weeks amid calls for a further explanation for the delay.

“We are not going to put out the system until it works,” he said.

By the spring, he added, “hopefully the software will work.”

[victoryfactory]

I am so down for this. With an office on Park/48th and an office downtown, I am going to be officially "4-train free"! :)

At twice the price of a subway ride.

[Ahneida Ride]

For a small fee, you can have the pleasure of riding the same streets that NYC cab drivers and bike messengers spend all their time on... :eek:


At the end of the ride, do you get a survivor's medal?

Amen !

[tuscanyswe]

Wow thats expensive!!!

Stockholm city bikes cost 20 bux for 3 days and 40 bux for half a year!
You van also get a helmet for 11 bux when purchasing a season ticket.

They arent good bikes tho but they get the job done i guess.

[rice rocket]

For a small fee, you can have the pleasure of riding the same streets that NYC cab drivers and bike messengers spend all their time on... :eek:


At the end of the ride, do you get a survivor's medal?

I did another 20 miles through the city after the 5 Boro Tour a few years back. I had a blast. NYC isn't as terrible as you think because the overall speed of traffic is low.

[LJohnny]

Long time lurker...

The DC program has worked out well. I don't know what the replacement fee for a stolen/list bike is tough

[merlinmurph]

At twice the price of a subway ride.
In Boston, you can get a yearly membership. After that, it's free as long as you keep the bike less than 30 minutes. People love it, it's great for those short hops.

FYI, I don't live/work in Boston, so I've never used it.

[zennmotion]

Long time lurker...

The DC program has worked out well. I don't know what the replacement fee for a stolen/list bike is tough

Same cost for replacement, $1000.00 With so many drop points downtown, it works well. I still opt to ride my beater around (replacement fee about 50 bucks at the local Goodwill) but it makes me happy to see these things in use- and they are being used here, at least by tourists.

[fiamme red]

The public transportation systems in D.C. and Boston don't compare to New York's. If I were a tourist, there's no way that I'd choose to ride a 50-lb bike through city streets when I could take a train that is both cheaper and faster.

[flydhest]

The public transportation systems in D.C. and Boston don't compare to New York's. If I were a tourist, there's no way that I'd choose to ride a 50-lb bike through city streets when I could take a train that is both cheaper and faster.

You said it about DC. I was off work last week, but had to come in for a meeting. Rather than bike in as usual, I decided to take public transportation. Upshot--I could have walked faster. I live 2.5 miles away, within the District, and it took over an hour for public transportation. Takes me 10 to 15 minutes by bike.

[torquer]

At twice the price of a subway ride.
That's what the tourists will pay.
At $95/year, it won't take too many under-30-minute errands before I come out ahead.
And about those tourists: sure, mass transit will be faster and cheaper between Times Square and Bloomingdales, but for a lap around Central Park, the bikes are a fraction of the cost of a carriage ride.
Really two discussions going on here: one about a tourism feature, and another about a component of our transportation system. Same bike share system, but two markets.

[54ny77]

Heck I'd give 'em a whirl if the timing & situation works.

Other than schlepping a helmet around and pre-planning optimal parking spots, it doesn't seem like much of a hassle.

[krhea]

Apropos to this thread, this was on today's local bike blog, "bikeportland.org" related to the subject:

http://bikeportland.org/2012/08/17/alta-bicycle-share-says-delays-in-other-cities-wont-impact-portland-bid-75838

Here's an interesting bit on cost of use written in 2011 I believe:

http://bikeportland.org/2011/09/13/how-much-to-use-bike-sharing-in-portland-about-60-95-per-year-58820

And to show you how crazed Portland is about such bike related infrastructure check out this archive of "bike share" info as it relates to Portland:

http://bikeportland.org/tag/bike-sharing

[fiamme red]

Alta looks to be in this over their heads. They have three bike share programs (NYC, Chicago, SF) postponed by several months, and from reports, the one in Chattanooga has not been going smoothly. *

Why have all these cities selected such an incompetent vendor?


* http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/aug/11/technical-problems-plague-chattanooga-bikeshare/

Phil McKenna flew down from his home near Philadelphia last weekend on a business trip.

The weather was pleasant and he saw something in this city he had never seen before on his travels: bicycles for rent.

He was excited for the chance to ride a bike, tour Chattanooga and get some exercise, he said.

But he found a problem. They didn't work.

He tried once. Twice. Thirteen times at 13 different stations. Over two days, he was able to rent a bike one time for 30 minutes, he said.

But that was it.

"It was frustrating," McKenna said. "I was excited about using it, and now I have no confidence the system will work."

[oldpotatoe]

It seems to work well in Montreal
Cheers

In the republic and Denver as well...

http://boulder.bcycle.com/

http://denver.bcycle.com/

[harryblack]

I wouldn't exactly put handlebar tape money on it but I won't be surprised if NYC never happens; remember this is the city that has fitfully tried to DECADES to have public toilets and failed every time-- I even went in one of the test dumpers, c. late '90s, on the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge; there was like a 10 minute maximum I think, then it'd re-open automatically to keep out the homeless, passed out drunks and junkies, and to non-quickie sex.

Also, though Mayor Bloomturd has a nominally pro-cycling image (it is, in fact, much more mixed/contradictory than that), his OTHER reputation as a no-nonese hyper-efficient business manager is total B.S., at least as far as public works are concerned.

It's too complicated/idiotic to summarize but anyone curious about what could happen to NYC Bike share should look up the still unresolved "City Time" boondoggle.

I won't even get into the laughably blatant but infrequently acknowledged racism/classism of the current NYC bike share plans, which don't even feature token gestures to pretend it's otherwise.

Alta looks to be in this over their heads. They have three bike share programs (NYC, Chicago, SF) postponed by several months, and from reports, the one in Chattanooga has not been going smoothly. *

Why have all these cities selected such an incompetent vendor?


* http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/aug/11/technical-problems-plague-chattanooga-bikeshare/

[nooneline]

Why have all these cities selected such an incompetent vendor?

Alta isn't an incompetent vendor. In fact, they're top dog in this realm.

The problem is that suddenly they're asked to scale up, dramatically. They got a bunch of new contracts for even bigger systems. They're probably hiring, building, sourcing, and coding their asses off.

Growing pains. That's all.

[likebikes]

Alta looks to be in this over their heads. They have three bike share programs (NYC, Chicago, SF) postponed by several months, and from reports, the one in Chattanooga has not been going smoothly. *

Why have all these cities selected such an incompetent vendor?


* http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/aug/11/technical-problems-plague-chattanooga-bikeshare/

bump, nyc bike share delayed again.

[harryschwartzma]

The pricing structure is designed to favor residents of NYC (as it should). $95 a year is pretty reasonable. $10 a day is fair for a touristic lark, I think.

[verticaldoug]

The pricing structure is designed to favor residents of NYC (as it should). $95 a year is pretty reasonable. $10 a day is fair for a touristic lark, I think.

Compared to cab fare.

[LesMiner]

Minneapolis has been successful with their Nice Ride program. They have been at it for 3 years. They have expanded to 81 bike locations and have like 500 bikes. Their prices are as follows, much cheaper than New York. One thing though, they shutdown for the Winter about 3 to 4 months.
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s126/LesMiner/NiceRide_zps99469de7.jpg
What is amazing is that bike loss and damage is way under their original estimate. The bikes are butt ugly and heavy.
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s126/LesMiner/NiceRideBikes.jpg

[fiamme red]

Bike share in NYC is in big financial trouble, after the software problems and now flooding of the equipment at the Brooklyn Navy Yard where it was stored.

According to Financial Times, Goldman Sachs just lent $41 million to keep NYC bike share afloat.

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/683691cc-fce1-11e1-9dd2-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2FbWCYiSx

Goldman Sachs has quietly loaned $41m to help finance the start of New York City’s much anticipated, and long-delayed, bike-sharing programme.

While Citigroup is paying $41m over five years to sponsor the project and has thousands of rental bicycles branded with its name, Goldman’s role in the programme has until now remained behind the scenes. The bank’s $41m loan is being used as the seed financing needed to get the project off the ground...

The loan from Goldman, made through the bank’s Urban Investment Group, will be “repaid by operating revenue from the programme, which will include sponsorship payments from Citi”, the company said in an internal presentation.

[fiamme red]

http://www.gothamgazette.com/index.php/city/2348-why-the-latest-delay-to-the-bike-share-program-may-not-be-the-last

...And while the program appears to be lurching forward, there are signs that the Candian-based sole supplier of bikes and technology for the bike share, known as Bixi, is in financial trouble and is straining to meet its obligations in other U.S. cities.

Recently put up for sale, the company and its U.S. partner, Alta Bicycle Share, have been incapable of delivering 54 new bike stations for the expansion of the Washington, D.C., program, according to The Washington Post. There are also delays with the launch of Bixi-based systems in Chicago and San Francisco, though not necessarily because of difficulty obtaining equipment.

Alta Bicycle Share was also picked to oversee New York City's bike share.

The delays — coupled with the culture of secrecy by company and city officials regarding details about the program's launch — have added to the frustrations of cyclists as well as critics who say that despite the Canadian supplier's financial woes, Alta appeared to be a shoo-in for the New York City program...

Much of the outcry about the delays with the eagerly awaited program has been due to a dearth of information about its progress coming from either DOT officials or the various companies involved in its stewardship.

But the concerns about transparency are not just in New York City. In Montreal, city officials there are also frustrated about the lack of information about how the Bixi program — and, thus, Montreal taxpayers — benefits from its international activities.

"The whole Bixi adventure has been characterized by a lack of transparency. There have been transparency issues with both the administration of the local arm and the administration of the program in other cities," said Sarah Gagnon-Turcotte, political operative for City Councilor Louise Harel, cabinet of the chief opposition party in Montreal.

[Ahneida Ride]

100 frn a month ?

Cheaper to but a 700 frn "all a-rounder'

you are really paying for the parking of the bike .... not the bike

[fiamme red]

100 frn a month ?

Cheaper to but a 700 frn "all a-rounder'

you are really paying for the parking of the bike .... not the bikeMembership is $95 a year, not $100 a month.

http://www.citibikenyc.com/pricing

[Ahneida Ride]

Membership is $95 a year, not $100 a month.

http://www.citibikenyc.com/pricing

Sorry ! :help:

[fiamme red]

Interesting that the president of Alta stepped down just a few days before registration for Citibike began. Is she abandoning a sinking ship? :confused:

http://bikeshare.com/news/alison-cohen-leaves-alta-bicycle-share-becomes-director-of-bike-sharing-services-at-toole-design-group/

Alison Cohen has left her position as President of Alta Bicycle Share and has moved to the Toole Design Group (TDG) to become their Director of Bike Sharing Services. Cohen had played an instrumental role in the growth and development of Alta Bicycle Share.

Prior to adding Cohen to their team, the TDG had been primarily known for their feasibility studies and reports on bike share. According to Jennifer Toole, “With Alison on board we are excited to expand the variety of services we offer to clients throughout the U.S. and internationally.” It is, thus, likely that we will see TDG begin to offer bike share operations services.

The timing of her departure from Alta is somewhat curious given that the company’s two biggest programs to date, New York and Chicago, are both expected to launch in the next couple of months. The Toole Design Group has issued this statement from Alison Cohen regarding her decision to join TDG: “As in any decision, there are many factors that went into it, both professional and personal, but it was time to move on. Working with Alta was undoubtedly a great experience, and I wish them and their city clients all the best in their ambitious launches this summer. I’m very excited about exploring an exciting future in bike share with Toole Design Group.”

[Lanterne Rouge]

I did another 20 miles through the city after the 5 Boro Tour a few years back. I had a blast. NYC isn't as terrible as you think because the overall speed of traffic is low.

+1 to that.

The biggest risk to safety in NYC is other cyclists. Namely hipsters with the bike handling ability of frail old woman and food delivery persons.

I'm still amazing when people come flying up the wrong way in a bike lane and the red light jumping is epidemic, seriosuly everyone does it (except me:cool:). I've seen middle aged woman with a baskets full of pain au chocolat blissfully cruise over the busiest avenues without a care in the world.

[vav]

Cabs are actually NYC cyclist's nightmare:

http://www.thewashcycle.com/2013/04/40-of-cyclists-injured-in-nyc-are-hit-by-taxis.html


+1 to that.

The biggest risk to safety in NYC is other cyclists. Namely hispsters with the bike handling ability of frail old woman amd food delivery persons.

.

[Lanterne Rouge]

Cabs are actually NYC cyclist's nightmare:

http://www.thewashcycle.com/2013/04/40-of-cyclists-injured-in-nyc-are-hit-by-taxis.html

Correlation is not causation. Let us consider the following:

There are more taxi's in NYC than any other type of car so it stands to reason that they'd be involved in more incidents.

A larger than acceptable number "admitted' to either drinking or using electronic devices - not really a great advertisment for defensive cycling.

Make no mistake there is danger out there and I think the burden of responsibility for the safety of a cyclist is the cyclist.

There will always be horrible accidents but 90% of bumps, scrapes and knocks can be avoided.

Perhaps this is not the most popular stand point but I think it stands up to reason.

I pretty much work on the basis that every pedestrian is going to walk out on me, that every taxi is going to swerve to make that pick up and that every other cyclist has opted not to put brakes on their bike and are going to run red lights.

[vav]

Totally agree with you. I visit NYC very often ( last week got a nice $ 115 parking txt souvenir ) and the things I see cyclists doing are very stupid to say the least and NYC cab drivers obviously have no patience for stupidity on 2 wheels or 2 legs for that matter :)

BTW I am fighting that parking ticket online. Any chance of success? I took like 50 pics from different angles to prove my innocence and the parking warrior mistake probably because of my out of state license plates :cool:

[Ahneida Ride]

For a small fee, you can have the pleasure of riding the same streets that NYC cab drivers and bike messengers spend all their time on... :eek:


At the end of the ride, do you get a survivor's medal?

Amen !

We all have a different definition of risk.

[Ahneida Ride]

Totally agree with you. I visit NYC very often ( last week got a nice $ 115 parking txt souvenir ) and the things I see cyclists doing are very stupid to say the least and NYC cab drivers obviously have no patience for stupidity on 2 wheels or 2 legs for that matter :)

BTW I am fighting that parking ticket online. Any chance of success? I took like 50 pics from different angles to prove my innocence and the parking warrior mistake probably because of my out of state license plates :cool:

Yes

with good documentation .... you will probably win.

[sashae]

Correlation is not causation. Let us consider the following:

There are more taxi's in NYC than any other type of car so it stands to reason that they'd be involved in more incidents.


That's abjectly not true. There's 13,250 medallions in the city. While traffic volumes in midtown (42nd-59th) are heavily taxi-based during certain times of the day -- up to 80% of traffic volume on Park Ave during morning rush, for example -- the vast majority of the city is taken over by private vehicles and trucks -- 25% of commuters in the city drive private vehicles to get to work.

[r_mutt]

whatever- at 95/year, i'm in.

[fiamme red]

This is NYC, what do you expect?

http://gothamist.com/2013/04/18/weve_been_so_busy_wondering.php

We've been so busy wondering when Citibike will finally launch and how many tourists will be maimed when it does, we hadn't even thought of this. A tipster sent us this photo of the brand-new Citibike stations recently installed at 15 Cliff Street in Lower Manhattan—a luxury living environment where, according this promotional video, "indulgences and everyday necessities are just steps away."

Apparently one such indulgence (or is it an everyday necessity?) includes allowing trash to be thrown just wherever, wooo! As you can see, building management, or someone (15 Cliff Street has yet to respond to our request for comment) didn't let the racks disrupt them from enjoying their usual trash disposal process, simply heaving the garbage-filled bags on top of and around the racks for someone else to deal with.

Good thing Staten Island will get Citibike probably never—they wouldn't even be able to find it.http://gothamist.com/attachments/nyc_lauren/2013_04_citibikedumpmain.jpg

[Likes2ridefar]

I pretty much work on the basis that every pedestrian is going to walk out on me, that every taxi is going to swerve to make that pick up and that every other cyclist has opted not to put brakes on their bike and are going to run red lights.

This is my commuting strategy as well over the last 10 or so years. It's served me well.

I've only hit one jogger and been "doored" by one private vehicle. considering I see a crash or near-crash nearly every day I think that's pretty good:banana:

[gary_a_gooner]

http://gothamist.com/attachments/nyc_lauren/2013_04_citibikedumpmain.jpg

Ryan McGuire's--I frequent that bar often...

[Lanterne Rouge]

They have just installed a bunch of the docking stations near my place. But they face into the road - as sure as $ are donuts a car is going to smash into it and cause all sorts of damage - as soon as it does I'll be posting "I told you so" photos.

That said I pretty excited about the bikes and I hope it is a success.

[Grant McLean]

That's abjectly not true. There's 13,250 medallions in the city. While traffic volumes in midtown (42nd-59th) are heavily taxi-based during certain times of the day -- up to 80% of traffic volume on Park Ave during morning rush, for example -- the vast majority of the city is taken over by private vehicles and trucks -- 25% of commuters in the city drive private vehicles to get to work.


I really like that your critical thinking took another step towards actual facts.

But some calculation should include the fact that each Taxi drives around
all the time, and make hundreds of trips per day. Whereas the car commuter
only makes 1 trip each way.

-g

[torquer]

Its about the parking spaces:
Tensions were high in the auditorium of P.S. 41 in Greenwich Village last night, where hundreds of SoHo and Village residents gathered to kvetch about and, alternatively, defend Citi Bike and its arrival in New York. Anti-Citi Bikers bickered with supporters, and some refused to mingle with anyone but their own.
...
Only one person we spoke with—Jeff Prant, a Park Slope resident—opposed Citi Bike outright. He held a sign that read "Bike Share But Not in My Parking Space."

"When I drive into the Village it's going to be harder to park. I would rather not have them at all," he said. "It takes parking spots away from people like me. I just don't like it."

But perhaps the most telling line of the evening came before the meeting even began. "Can't we all just get along?" one Citi Bike supporter asked another. She shook her head. "We wouldn't be in New York."
http://gothamist.com/2013/05/03/i_dont_live_in_paris_i_live_in_new.php

More encouraging is the report about Washington's program, and what it might foretell about CitiBike:
Let’s talk about traffic: I lived in D.C. for three years before I moved to New York, and I can tell you from experience that D.C was not a hospitable biking city at the time. There has been a noticeable change in driver’s attitudes toward cyclists since the arrival of bike share. I saw all manner of tourists (including myself) meandering down the streets like inebriated children, and all were consistently given a wide, if begrudging berth, by cars. It was startling.

The upshot: New Yorkers are going to have to get used to the idea that Citi Bike will put more cyclists on the road. Dominic Boone, a manager at Bike and Roll in D.C., told me that bike share has softened the city's once militant stance toward bikes. "Everybody's used to them now, because there are so many out there," he said. "It hasn’t been a problem at all."

New York is not D.C., and thank god for that. But if you’d told me that bike share was going to change the entire landscape of transportation in D.C., I would have slapped you in the face. But it has. The bike share program there is a success—that much is obvious from the sheer number of them on the street.
http://gothamist.com/2013/05/03/bike_share_tips_citibike.php

[fiamme red]

This is my favorite quote in all Gothamist's stories about Citi Bike:

http://gothamist.com/2013/04/30/when_citi_bike_eats_your_car_it_cos.php

But Torres, who works for the towing company hired by the DOT to facilitate the Citi Bike installation, isn't on board. "These bicycle people make me sick," she told us. "Half of them I want to run over."

[cash05458]

is the 41 million dollar thing real? if so, that is pretty funny...wonder what that comes down to per bike ect...

[likebikes]

two weeks from today it opens.

two weeks.

(insider info tells me it will be a clusterf...)

[christian]

two weeks from today it opens.
Sweet. I need some new 501s and getting to the Levis store from midtown is a pain. Problem solved!

[fiamme red]

I can't wait. I look forward to seeing the new and creative ways these docks and bikes will be defaced, vandalized, and destroyed by the youth of today!

[Likes2ridefar]

I can't wait. I look forward to seeing the new and creative ways these docks and bikes will be defaced, vandalized, and destroyed by the youth of today!

Will be interesting to see if we are worse than the other large cities that have already started similar programs.

[EDS]

They recently installed a bike station near my office. Closed off the side portion of Park Avenue between 41st and 42nd. Really wish they had some updtown stations so I could ride to work. Today would have been a perfect day for it!

[christian]

Seems a real shame that there's not a station at 125th/Park. I can see that being a good multi-modal station, both for people coming in on Metro North to get to other places on the UWS/UES and for folks running errands on the UWS/UES after work and then getting on Metro North.

Hopefully as the system expands northward that'll be an early addition.

[flydhest]

The differences between Washington and NY are legion, nevertheless, it has been very successful here ... the second time. The first time it was done too small and foundered. Now, it is widely used and expanding. Paris is another example where bike shares have worked very well. A bit closer to NY, though still quite different.

I am in NY a dozen times a year and am looking forward to trying it out.

[fiamme red]

The chart on this page shows that Citi Bike is far more expensive than the bike shares in London or Paris for a 24-hour or 7-day user:

http://www.bicycling.com/news/advocacy/citi-bike-101

[Tony T]

Buy an annual and pay 26c/day (50c if you only ride half the year)

[fiamme red]

I predicted that the first serious accident would happen within three days of NYC bike share's inception. I was wrong, it took four days.

http://www.ny1.com/content/transit/182987/citi-bike-rider-struck-by-suv-in-manhattan

Welcome to New York. :rolleyes:

[likebikes]

no updates in 3 weeks?

[Louis]

I bet you did not know that bikes are a "privileged mode of conveyance" !!!

I wonder if the writer ever complained about those ubiquitous cars, parked all over the place in out cities?


NYT Letter to the Editor

Invitation to a Dialogue: A City of Bike Clutter

To the Editor:

The horrendous bicycle congestion in Amsterdam (“The Dutch Prize Their Pedal Power, but a Sea of Bikes Swamps Their Capital,” Amsterdam Journal, June 21) portends my worst fears for New York City if Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s crusade to promote cycling at any cost is not scaled back by his successor.

In addition to the ubiquitous tombstone-like parking stands for the new bike-sharing program, Citi Bike, more and more bikes are appearing on our sidewalks, clumsily chained in bunches to anything stationary, cluttering pedestrian areas and complicating emergency services, trash collection and sanitation.

The density and vertical nature of our city mean that hundreds of cyclists could live, and park, on a single block, leaving neighborhoods with all the charm of a junkyard.

Cycling should be neither deterred nor promoted, but certainly not singled out as a privileged mode of conveyance whose operators enjoy segregated lanes, free parking and exemption from the licensing, insurance and safety precautions (like helmets) required for other two-wheeled vehicles such as motorcycles.

GARY TAUSTINE
New York, June 25, 2013

[flydhest]

A week ago, the wife and I were in NYC. I had to be there for work, she came up for an overnight trip. We got a day pass to the Citibike. It was great. We went all over the city, seeing more than if we had taken the subway, going further than if we had walked. Much cheaper than a series of cab trips. After she left, I used my remaining time on my own. Very much worth the money. I had posted earlier in the thread observations about DC relative to NY. I had never actually biked in NYC before this trip. Let me state than in my experience (daily in DC, once in NY, so a grain of salt) drivers in NYC are staggeringly better with cyclists than in DC. In NYC, we were 42nd Street and lower, for reference. I don't know if it is that drivers don't get too used to driving fast in NYC or what, but much less assholicism by a long shot. Will absolutely be using a Citibike again when back in NYC.

[likebikes]

any more updates?

[Ray]

I just spent a few days in the City - my first time there since the program started running. I'm vastly impressed. Where are all the nay-sayers now? The only problem seems to be it's TOO popular and there aren't enough bikes. Over the weekend, most racks were about half to 3/4 empty, but no problem finding a bike. This morning, every rack I saw was empty with people waiting for bikes to show up - as soon as a bike came in, it was immediately snatched up. I talked to my favorite barista in Chelsea about it and she said people love it and the only problems are associated with trying to add more capacity quickly!

As someone who spent a career in urban planning, with much of it on bike/ped issues, I find the success of these programs (not to mention the rate at which people are moving back to the cities) as incredibly encouraging. I love it when programs like this get tons of criticism and bitching and moaning BEFORE they open and then very successful rollouts and dead silence from the critics as they're swamped by the reality of stuff that just works. And turns out to have been needed after all!

-Ray

[rice rocket]

This morning, every rack I saw was empty with people waiting for bikes to show up - as soon as a bike came in, it was immediately snatched up.
-Ray

Hmm, that's an interesting mathematical problem.

Do they have the ability to oversell their racking capacity on the assumption that a bike will always be out? Or will there be an issue when all the bikes are in at once?

I guess that problem already exists though, since there aren't stipulations as to where you can return a bike. Are you forced to ride station to station until you find a place to rack it to avoid your card being charged (although that doesn't seem to be an issue if the popularity is as you describe)?

[MattTuck]

Hmm, that's an interesting mathematical problem.

Do they have the ability to oversell their racking capacity on the assumption that a bike will always be out? Or will there be an issue when all the bikes are in at once?

I guess that problem already exists though, since there aren't stipulations as to where you can return a bike. Are you forced to ride station to station until you find a place to rack it to avoid your card being charged (although that doesn't seem to be an issue if the popularity is as you describe)?

These are interesting problems. I actually spoke with a senior person at the company that runs NYC and other bike share programs. It is an incredibly complex task to make sure the bikes are in the right places at the right times of day, and that there are spots to return bikes when they need to be returned. As an example, stations at the tops of hills are almost always a source of bikes, while stations at the bottoms of hills are almost always a sink. Keeping the entire system balanced is a requirement for making the system work as planned.

[Ray]

Keeping the entire system balanced is a requirement for making the system work as planned.

Indeed. But these are GREAT problems to have, as opposed to all of those failure problems anticipated by so many before the program started.

-Ray

[christian]

I love it when programs like this get tons of criticism and bitching and moaning BEFORE they open and then very successful rollouts and dead silence from the critics as they're swamped by the reality of stuff that just works. And turns out to have been needed after all!
As an acquaintance of mine just said to me the other day, "Remember back in the dark ages when everyone hated bike sharing. Seems so long ago. When was that, June?"

I think it's been an outsized success, honestly.

[Mr. Pink]

The population of Amsterdam laughs.

[Likes2ridefar]

The population of Amsterdam laughs.

lots of them have bikes, but last few times I was there I never saw any sort of bike share program. do they have one now?

[fiamme red]

On my commute this morning, I passed a rack that was empty, with only one broken bike in one of the docks. Three blocks away, there was a rack with all but one of the docks occupied. Perhaps that rack wasn't functioning, so the bikes couldn't be rented.

It remains to be seen how succesful Citi Bike is. Sure, a lot of people use it, but the question is how much money it will lose each year. In Montreal, despite the popularity of the Bixi system, it's on the verge of bankruptcy. Alta Bike Share (which runs Citi Bike) is a subsidiary of Bixi, and I don't know whether it can survive independently.

[rice rocket]

NYC is pretty different from Montreal, in population density, tourism, average income, etc etc etc.

[MattTuck]

Don't forget this awesome interview with Dorothy Rabinowitz (Link here. (http://live.wsj.com/video/opinion-death-by-bicycle/C6D8BBCE-B405-4D3C-A381-4CA50BDD8D4D.html#!C6D8BBCE-B405-4D3C-A381-4CA50BDD8D4D))


The people of NYC hate it! The bike lobby is an all powerful entity! Bloomberg is a totalitarian autocrat wielding his power by implementing a bike share program.

[r_mutt]

These are interesting problems. I actually spoke with a senior person at the company that runs NYC and other bike share programs. It is an incredibly complex task to make sure the bikes are in the right places at the right times of day, and that there are spots to return bikes when they need to be returned. As an example, stations at the tops of hills are almost always a source of bikes, while stations at the bottoms of hills are almost always a sink. Keeping the entire system balanced is a requirement for making the system work as planned.

hills aren't going to be a problem in nyc. the main problem is filled racks at night so no one can return a bike, and no bikes available after 9am in areas that aren't mid-town.

[Likes2ridefar]

Don't forget this awesome interview with Dorothy Rabinowitz (Link here. (http://live.wsj.com/video/opinion-death-by-bicycle/C6D8BBCE-B405-4D3C-A381-4CA50BDD8D4D.html#!C6D8BBCE-B405-4D3C-A381-4CA50BDD8D4D))


The people of NYC hate it! The bike lobby is an all powerful entity! Bloomberg is a totalitarian autocrat wielding his power by implementing a bike share program.

Lhota would maybe have a chance if he spread the word about how his first thing he'll do if elected will be to axe the citibike program.

[merlinmurph]

Similar success in Boston, new stations are being added all the time. Note: I don't live or work in the city, but I hear news all the time.

One way they try to balance out the stations is that bikes will be transported by truck from one station to another, depending on time and station utilization.

[Ray]

It remains to be seen how succesful Citi Bike is. Sure, a lot of people use it, but the question is how much money it will lose each year. In Montreal, despite the popularity of the Bixi system, it's on the verge of bankruptcy. Alta Bike Share (which runs Citi Bike) is a subsidiary of Bixi, and I don't know whether it can survive independently.
Does the system need to "survive independently" or should it be able to continue with some level of ongoing subsidy, like every other type of transportation infrastructure? Transit is subsidized but is clearly worth it in urban areas (suburban areas are less clear unless they feed into a large urban area). Cars and roads are ALL tax supported with no user fee except on the occasional toll roads. So if this is being used heavily and is extending the carrying capacity of the city's infrastructure, should it need to survive independently?

-Ray

[christian]

Hey, a toll on the East River bridges could keep trucks on the Verrazano where they belong and pay for bikeshare. Win, win, win!

[fiamme red]

Does the system need to "survive independently" or should it be able to continue with some level of ongoing subsidy, like every other type of transportation infrastructure? Transit is subsidized but is clearly worth it in urban areas (suburban areas are less clear unless they feed into a large urban area). Cars and roads are ALL tax supported with no user fee except on the occasional toll roads. So if this is being used heavily and is extending the carrying capacity of the city's infrastructure, should it need to survive independently?Yes, it should. Citi Bike already gets massive indirect public subsidies by free use of streets and sidewalks, and an army of employees at the DOT who work full-time running the program.

The taxpayers of Montreal are pretty tired of propping up a business that loses money every year, and New Yorkers wouldn't be any more willing to do so.

[shovelhd]

Yes, it should. Citi Bike already gets massive indirect public subsidies by free use of streets and sidewalks, and an army of employees at the DOT who work full-time running the program.

The taxpayers of Montreal are pretty tired of propping up a business that loses money every year, and New Yorkers wouldn't be any more willing to do so.

That's a pretty warped view of subsidies. Let's tax pedestrians to use the sidewalk. How bout a toll booth at every crosswalk? This program isn't that complicated. If it takes an army of DOT employees to make it run, then that's more a political thing than an operational thing.

I was in Manhattan last weekend. Citibikes are pretty much everywhere. I was bikeless, so I didn't go near any of the standard cycling routes (Brooklyn Bridge, High Line, etc.) but judging by what I saw on the street, at least 25% of the bikes were Citibikes.

[fiamme red]

That's a pretty warped view of subsidies. Let's tax pedestrians to use the sidewalk. How bout a toll booth at every crosswalk? This program isn't that complicated. If it takes an army of DOT employees to make it run, then that's more a political thing than an operational thing.

I was in Manhattan last weekend. Citibikes are pretty much everywhere. I was bikeless, so I didn't go near any of the standard cycling routes (Brooklyn Bridge, High Line, etc.) but judging by what I saw on the street, at least 25% of the bikes were Citibikes.Citi Bike is a private bike rental business. How is it public infrastructure any more than Zipcar?

The owner of a bike shop in my neighborhood told me that he has lost about 80% of his rental business since Citi Bike started in June. Sales of commuter bikes have dropped a good deal too. He doesn't get any public subsidies.

[shovelhd]

Citi Bike is a private bike rental business. How is it public infrastructure any more than Zipcar?

The owner of a bike shop in my neighborhood told me that he has lost about 80% of his rental business since Citi Bike started in June. Sales of commuter bikes have dropped a good deal too. He doesn't get any public subsidies.

Good points. There are better ways to subsidize, like tax breaks for those renting bikes so that everyone can compete, but I don't expect your neighbor's bike shop to compete with Citibike outside of his neighborhood.

[Mr. Pink]

The taxpayers of Montreal are pretty tired of propping up a business that loses money every year

How much do the Canadians get subsidized, btw? There's an article in the NYT today about the heavily subsidized Detroit Tigers and whatever their hockey team is paying zillions of dollars to overweight first basemen and such while the city is, yup, bankrupt.

Life isn't fair, and, if you spend any time in Manhattan, that becomes quite apparent everywhere you go. So, hey, a little help to put bikers on the street is OK with me. Helps me ignore the bankers dining first class on my dime. A little.

[MattTuck]

Citi Bike is a private bike rental business. How is it public infrastructure any more than Zipcar?

The owner of a bike shop in my neighborhood told me that he has lost about 80% of his rental business since Citi Bike started in June. Sales of commuter bikes have dropped a good deal too. He doesn't get any public subsidies.

I can understand his frustration, especially as he's a local business trying to make a living. On the other hand, there are always winners and losers when change happens. Is it possible his rental business did not provide a compelling value proposition to customers compared to the citibike value proposition? Shall we adopt a policy that keeps out new innovations to protect his rental business?

As Bob Dylan says, "Times they are a changin'"

[fiamme red]

How much do the Canadians get subsidized, btw? There's an article in the NYT today about the heavily subsidized Detroit Tigers and whatever their hockey team is paying zillions of dollars to overweight first basemen and such while the city is, yup, bankrupt.The city of Montreal bailed out Bixi with a $108 million loan in 2011. Bixi is currently operating with an estimated $6.5 million deficit, and still hasn't released 2012 financial statements.

[Likes2ridefar]

The city of Montreal bailed out Bixi with a $108 million loan in 2011. Bixi is currently operating with an estimated $6.5 million deficit, and still hasn't released 2012 financial statements.

the post office, the mighty USPS, has them beat, slightly. 11 billion in 2012 is one quick figure I see that the Senate voted on to use our dollars for.

49 million dollars a day loss? makes sense to me...

[Mr. Pink]

The city of Montreal bailed out Bixi with a $108 million loan in 2011. Bixi is currently operating with an estimated $6.5 million deficit, and still hasn't released 2012 financial statements.

Well, that's more of an indictment of a private company's health and operations, not the concept of bike sharing as a whole.

[I Want Sachs?]

Naysayers do not want the program to be started, because it would be too successful that people would not do without it.

This has a familiar tone with the healthcare debate as well.

[fiamme red]

I can understand his frustration, especially as he's a local business trying to make a living. On the other hand, there are always winners and losers when change happens. Is it possible his rental business did not provide a compelling value proposition to customers compared to the citibike value proposition? Shall we adopt a policy that keeps out new innovations to protect his rental business?Citi Bike's invaluable advantage is having the NYC DOT as their partner. The DOT arranged a sponsorship by Citibank and Mastercard and a loan from Goldman Sachs. Without these, they could never have bought the equipment to start with. Then they got valuable sidewalk and street space for free.

Again, I don't see why taxpayers should subsidize a private service that is mainly used by white males who are making six-figure incomes. Maybe they should double or triple the annual fee.

http://www.streetsblog.org/2013/09/18/after-100-days-architects-of-citi-bike-success-take-stock-of-nyc-bike-share/

"(NYC Bicycle Share General Manager Justin) Ginsburgh said last night that Citi Bike users tended to be white, male, and with household incomes in the six figures, though he didn’t have the exact numbers."

[Likes2ridefar]

Citi Bike's invaluable advantage is having the NYC DOT as their partner. The DOT arranged a sponsorship by Citibank and Mastercard and a loan from Goldman Sachs. Without these, they could never have bought the equipment to start with. Then they got valuable sidewalk and street space for free.

Again, I don't see why taxpayers should subsidize a private service that is mainly used by white males who are making six-figure incomes. Maybe they should double or triple the annual fee.

http://www.streetsblog.org/2013/09/18/after-100-days-architects-of-citi-bike-success-take-stock-of-nyc-bike-share/

"(NYC Bicycle Share General Manager Justin) Ginsburgh said last night that Citi Bike users tended to be white, male, and with household incomes in the six figures, though he didn’t have the exact numbers."

from that same article:

The current system relies on private sponsorships and its own user revenues, not subsidies. Last night, the panelists said they are not looking beyond that model at this time. “There’s no taxpayer dollars, and for me that’s really important,” Ginsburgh said. “Politically, it makes it a lot more acceptable to everyone.”

[christian]

Citi Bike's invaluable advantage is having the NYC DOT as their partner. The DOT arranged a sponsorship by Citibank and Mastercard and a loan from Goldman Sachs. Without these, they could never have bought the equipment to start with. Then they got valuable sidewalk and street space for free.

So the totality of your concern is that the DOT connected Citibike with some investors and then granted them space that would otherwise be taken up by parked cars? My sense of outrage waits to be stoked.

[54ny77]

Those darned white males and their rent-a-bikes.

What about the Tuvalu transgender albinos here on political asylum? Are their alternative transportation needs being met?

[Louis]

My sense of outrage waits to be stoked.

We need to put you in touch with some House Republicans. They have plenty of outrage to share.

[fiamme red]

So the totality of your concern is that the DOT connected Citibike with some investors and then granted them space that would otherwise be taken up by parked cars? My sense of outrage waits to be stoked.In my neighborhood, most of the Citi Bike racks are on sidewalks. One is right outside my building. I hate having to pass by the garish, 50-foot-long advertisement for a company that brought down the economy once, and would gladly do so again. *

It's ironic that Goldman Sachs' $42 million loan was in fulfillment of the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), which, according to GS, "since 2001 has committed more than $2.8 billion to development projects in low-income neighborhoods." So how does funding a bikeshare program that covers the city's wealthiest zip codes qualify as this?

* http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/05/24/why-did-citigroup-try-to-overturn-an-overhaul/

[Likes2ridefar]

In my neighborhood, most of the Citi Bike racks are on sidewalks. One is right outside my building. I hate having to pass by the garish, 50-foot-long advertisement for a company that brought down the economy once, and would gladly do so again. *

It's ironic that Goldman Sachs' $42 million loan was in fulfillment of the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), which, according to GS, "since 2001 has committed more than $2.8 billion to development projects in low-income neighborhoods." So how does funding a bikeshare program that covers the city's wealthiest zip codes qualify as this?

* http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/05/24/why-did-citigroup-try-to-overturn-an-overhaul/

it must be REALLY tough for you considering there's a citibank on about every other block in lower manhattan.

[Mr. Pink]

Sometimes two. Along with two Starbucks.

[shovelhd]

So the outrage is political. I'm surprised it took two pages to discover this. And no thread would be complete without a Republican hate drive-by.

I saw plenty of females on Citibikes last weekend. Tough to tell income from looking at them.

[Ray]

I saw plenty of females on Citibikes last weekend. Tough to tell income from looking at them.

I did too, and people of various colors and ages too. Also couldn't tell their incomes but no reason to believe they were all particularly well off...

I can't personally afford to live in the city - well, I could afford to live there if I could afford a PLACE to live there) - but if I could it would be in a small place that I probably wouldn't be able to keep a bike in and I'd consider something like this a god-send.

Sorry for the impact on bike rental shops, but if they could provide the same easy pick up anywhere, drop off anywhere service for competitive prices, they could do the same. It's a public good IMHO, and I'm happy to see it...

-Ray

[torquer]

"(NYC Bicycle Share General Manager Justin) Ginsburgh said last night that Citi Bike users tended to be white, male, and with household incomes in the six figures, though he didn’t have the exact numbers."
Ya think maybe that's because the bike share locations tend to be mainly in high-income neighborhoods (which pretty much corrolates to racial disparities)? The six-figure income part, anyway.
As far as the male part, what was the male/female mix on your last group ride? (Or this forum, for that matter.)

[fiamme red]

Ya think maybe that's because the bike share locations tend to be mainly in high-income neighborhoods (which pretty much corrolates to racial disparities)? The six-figure income part, anyway.
As far as the male part, what was the male/female mix on your last group ride? (Or this forum, for that matter.)There are a few Citi racks in my neighborhood next to NYCHA housing. The bikes there see very little use. For one thing, many, if not most, people living in those buildings don't have a credit card, which is a requirement to sign up for Citi Bike.

[Ray]

Ya think maybe that's because the bike share locations tend to be mainly in high-income neighborhoods (which pretty much corrolates to racial disparities)? The six-figure income part, anyway.
As far as the male part, what was the male/female mix on your last group ride? (Or this forum, for that matter.)

I saw plenty of women riding them over the weekend - I didn't count and don't know if it was half or even close, but there were way more than a few...

-Ray

[fiamme red]

http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20131022/lower-east-side/nycha-residents-make-up-less-than-05-percent-of-citi-bike-riders

Members hailed from Oregon to Australia and from Amsterdam to Japan, but as expected, the majority of subscribers lived in New York City. In fact more than half of all annual members lived in wealthy Manhattan neighborhoods, according to a DNAinfo analysis of the data.

But low-income residents, who qualify for a membership discount, made up a tiny fraction of subscribers. Only 285 members lived in NYCHA housing, according to the data...

Vanessa Vasquez, 26, who lives in Samuel Gompers Houses on the Lower East Side, said she doesn’t belong to Citi Bike but regularly rides one of her boyfriend’s bicycles.

She said she believes the program's membership requirements dissuade NYCHA residents from joining. Members must pay the whole fee at once and provide a credit card for Citi Bike to keep on file.

“We are in the projects,” she said. "A lot of people don’t have credit cards."

[torquer]

Headline & lead from the yesterday's NYTimes:

Canadian Company Behind Bike-Sharing Programs Seeks Bankruptcy Protection
OTTAWA — The Canadian company that designs and builds the bicycles and supporting technology for bike-sharing systems around the world, including those in New York and London, sought bankruptcy protection on Monday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/21/business/international/canadian-company-behind-bike-sharing-programs-seeks-bankruptcy-protection.html?_r=0

I didn't realize that the company was originally funded by the Montreal City government. Wonder how much of the company's problems are purely economic, and how much shifting local political winds are to blame.

[fiamme red]

Headline & lead from the yesterday's NYTimes:

Canadian Company Behind Bike-Sharing Programs Seeks Bankruptcy Protection
OTTAWA — The Canadian company that designs and builds the bicycles and supporting technology for bike-sharing systems around the world, including those in New York and London, sought bankruptcy protection on Monday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/21/business/international/canadian-company-behind-bike-sharing-programs-seeks-bankruptcy-protection.html?_r=0

I didn't realize that the company was originally funded by the Montreal City government. Wonder how much of the company's problems are purely economic, and how much shifting local political winds are to blame.More from todays' newspaper: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/22/business/bankruptcy-case-lifts-curtain-on-bike-share-operator.html. Andy Riga of the Montreal Gazette has covered Bixi pretty thoroughly over the last couple of years.

As for NYC Bike Share, it's certainly losing money (even Bloomberg admitted that), but because of the extremely secretive nature of the NYC DOT, no outsiders know what its deficits are. I think a taxpayer bail-out is eventually inevitable if the program is to remain solvent.

[fiamme red]

http://www.montrealgazette.com/allies+contest+Bixi+request+extension+creditor+pro tection/9519969/story.html

Bixi posted a net loss of almost $6.5 million in 2012, a figure the bike-sharing company has kept secret until it was compelled to make it public during a bankruptcy hearing Tuesday.

The veil of secrecy was also lifted on other aspects of Bixi's business, which was bankrolled by city of Montreal taxpayers who had been left in the dark...During Tuesday's hearing, Alta lawyer Louis Dumont said software in bike-share stations in New York and some other cities still does not work properly, with some users unable to lock bikes and others being charged twice for transactions.

Dumont said the software glitches will reduce the amount a bidder will be willing to pay for Bixi...

[fiamme red]

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/hike-citi-bike-rates-consideration-article-1.1713561

[christian]

As for NYC Bike Share, it's certainly losing money (even Bloomberg admitted that), but because of the extremely secretive nature of the NYC DOT, no outsiders know what its deficits are. I think a taxpayer bail-out is eventually inevitable if the program is to remain solvent.Well, we bailed out the private subways... If the taxpayers deem it's a worthwhile program, who's to say it shouldn't be part-funded by taxes?

[fiamme red]

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304256404579451770072629130

Citi Bike has been forced to lay off some workers because of the financial strain, which has made it more difficult to operate the sprawling network and respond to customers, the people familiar with the matter said.I know someone who got a full-time job with Citi Bike last May as a bike mechanic. A few months afterwards, his hours were cut to part-time, and then reduced even further, so he decided to quit.

[fiamme red]

Good article by Felix Salmon:

https://medium.com/p/323e11dd7679

Similarly, New York could step in and promise to cover the extra marginal cost of expanding the Citi Bike geographical footprint. But that wouldn’t fix the deeper issues with the system — it would only entrench them further. After all, if tourists aren’t signing up for Citi Bike in midtown, they’re not going to start signing up if it expands into Long Island City.One problem he doesn't mention is that the supplier, Bixi, is bankrupt. For that reason, Baltimore and Portland have had to postpone their bike share programs. Where will new bikes or their proprietary parts come from if the supplier goes bust?

[verticaldoug]

The chart they show of failure to continue to sell daily passes is a poor joke. Do they really think the same number of tourists want to rent a bike in January as in July? I'd like to see June-June YOY figures before drawing any conclusions.

I'd like to see a full operating budget for the program. Public budgets always have stupid line items.

[Flaroc01]

I thought it was a good summary of what is happening with Citibike. I wonder if NYC can force Alta to get rid of the docs and bikes (everything proprietary) keep the locations and start with another bidder. What's the other option wait for the system to decay and Alta to declare bankruptcy and then have to use taxpayers money to clean out the bikes and docks? Or to use taxpayer money to bail them out?

[fiamme red]

An interesting public-private partnership in Chicago:

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20140529/NEWS02/140529774/divvy-pedaled-to-a-loss-in-2013

Because of the uncertainty over the bicycle rental program's success, the administration agreed to cover 90 percent of operating losses through this year. Meanwhile, Alta is set to receive a nearly $2.5 million fee from the city for installation.Nice business model for Alta, not so much for the taxpayers. :rolleyes:

[r_mutt]

Fiamme red- you are so anxious to see it fail. Why so negative?

[torquer]

Citibike haters will love the video embedded in this story:
http://gothamist.com/2014/06/03/video_watch_citi_bikers_drained_of.php
Be sure to turn the sound on when you watch! It's the best part.