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Bike Share in Waterloo Region
#31
Just got a chance at lunch here to read the whole article - wow, spot on. Hits all the points I'm trying to drive home! I had no idea SoBi in Hamilton was so new - the first time we used it, it must have been literally like a month old or something.
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#32
(08-10-2017, 09:53 AM)panamaniac Wrote:
(08-10-2017, 09:52 AM)tomh009 Wrote: This boggles the mind (from the same Record article):


Why on earth not?  If getting people to use the bikes is not the goal, then what is?

Providing an amenity to the economically disadvantaged.

I would say that's what the Working Center does with Recycle Cycles. I don't see CAB helping with that goal. For the cost of the annual CAB membership you could get your own bike at Recycle Cycles.
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#33
(08-10-2017, 01:01 PM)ijmorlan Wrote: This is a particular area in which operating “like a business” is something more organizations should do. There is no point in running some great program if it hardly benefits anybody. If something is a good idea, it should be expanded to help all those who can be helped. And if a program would be excessively expensive to run in a way that would help many, than almost certainly it is also too expensive to run for the small group, given the small number of people who benefit.

Thanks, agree with this 100%.  Operating like a business doesn't mean that there always needs to be a profit motive, but we should try to get the maximum benefit for the money (or volunteer effort) we spend on a program.
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#34
(08-10-2017, 09:52 AM)tomh009 Wrote:
(08-10-2017, 09:27 AM)highlander Wrote: From an article in The Record today:

This boggles the mind (from the same Record article):

Quote:CAB was set up to provide an inexpensive way for people to get access to a bike, and hasn't focused much on gaining membership, said co-ordinator Paulina Rodriguez.

Why on earth not?  If getting people to use the bikes is not the goal, then what is?  (Edit: I am not blaming Paulina Rodriguez for this as she has just taken over the program, but I really do question the priorities.)

It might be just the excuse they are using on why their membership base is so low. AKA we made this movie for the fans not the critics when in reality it just sucks
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#35
The Working Centre has unfortunately been much more interested in developing something novel with their bikesharing approach (i.e. a different way to do small city bikeshare) than in doing something that works.
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#36
I was recently in Kingston where they are piloting a dockless bikeshare.  Kingston has partnered with Dropbike which is also operating around the University of Toronto.  It seems like a novel approach without necessarily having the plan a whole network of pick-up points first.  The system also seems to be quite flexible. The one downside is the one needs a smartphone to use it.
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#37
Hamilton has a Social Bicycles installation, which is dockless but is accessible without a smartphone I believe.
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#38
That's right! Because the lock mechanism is on the bike itself, the "docks" at stations are simply dumb metal hoops - just like any other bike rack. There is a keypad on the back of the bike; you can enter your PIN, and the lock unlocks.

You can park a SoBi bike anywhere (within the allowable range - which is all of Hamilton), but there's a $2 fee to finish your ride not at a rack. Just enough of a fee to give you the incentive to try and end your ride at a rack, but not a huge enough deturrant that someone who really wanted to use a bike but had to drop it off somewhere outside of a rack might think they couldn't use the system.
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#39
Incidentally, I saw some test riding a DropBike next to the Working Centre this week. No time to stop and ask questions so I don't know whether this is meaningful.

But how would a DropBike end up in Kitchener otherwise?
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#40
Yesterday, we rented a pair of bikes from CoGo Bikeshare in Columbus, Ohio.  Excellent system; has a membership option for frequent users, and for out-of-toweners like us it was super quick (~2 minutes at the kiosk) to use and fairly inexpensive ($8 for a day pass with unlimited 30 minute rides; some small fee for trips longer than 30 minutes to discourage hoarding). Bikes can only be left at docks, but there are lots of them and on the map on the app (if you choose to use it) every dock I saw had about 1/3 vacant slots, so returning was never something to be anxious about.

Bikes are robust and have Shimano Nexus 3-speed internally geared hubs and INTER M roller brakes.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Having a blast exploring the trails of Columbus thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/CoGoBikeShare">@CoGoBikeShare</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bikerides?src=hash">#bikerides</a> <a href="https://t.co/g6DvBaWjIs">pic.twitter.com/g6DvBaWjIs</a></p>&mdash; Iain Hendry (@Canardiain) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canardiain/status/904457374198575104">September 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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#41
It looks like Community Access Bikeshare is setting up a rack at Spurline Crossing.
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#42
Dropbike has been selected to run a bikeshare pilot project in Waterloo region. See the P&W agenda for next week here starting on Page 40.
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#43
(04-06-2018, 03:54 PM)highlander Wrote: Dropbike has been selected to run a bikeshare pilot project in Waterloo region. See the P&W agenda for next week here starting on Page 40.

Excellent!  Some additional detail from the agenda:
Quote:Dropbike is dockless bikesharing system based in Toronto and launched in 2017. They are currently in operation in Kingston, Toronto, and Montreal. Bikes are unlocked through the use of a smartphone, and do not require physical docking infrastructure. Designated parking areas are delineated using geofencing, and users are incentivized to return their bikes to these parking havens. This is intended to minimize the issues of dockless bikes obstructing public spaces. Dropbike proposes to assume CAB’s existing station footprint (pending agreement with impacted parties) and work with staff from the municipalities and the Region to identify additional parking havens. Users must pay a $50 deposit and are charged $1/hour. Memberships are also available. Dropbike will be hiring local staff to manage operations and services bikes
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#44
Very much looking forward to this. I don't own a bike at the moment but I'd love to get around Downtown spots quicker.
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#45
(04-06-2018, 05:49 PM)KevinL Wrote: Very much looking forward to this. I don't own a bike at the moment but I'd love to get around Downtown spots quicker.

I think many condo/apartment-dwellers would do the same if the convenience is high (enough) and cost is low (enough). No up-front investment in a bike, no storage issue, no maintenance and no worries about theft. And $1 or $2 is less expensive than transit.
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