Record Bikeshare Ridership in July
Source: City of Santa Barbara
This July, Santa Barbara’s Bike Share Pilot Program hit a new record for bike share trips: in just one month, BCycle users took 9,944 trips and travelled 40,780 miles! Since the three year Bike Share Pilot Program launched on January 28, 2021, BCycle has logged over 30,000 trips and over 131,000 total miles ridden.
Operated by BCycle, the Bike Share Pilot Program provides an affordable point-topoint e-bike ride with easy access to key destinations. Designed with short trips in mind, bike sharing is great for those trips that are too far to walk, but too close to drive. The Pilot Program will include the installation of 500 docks that will serve a fleet of around 250 pedal-assist e-bikes. Currently there are 130 bikes and 272 docks in service, with more locations slated for future installation. Recent COVID-related supply chain issues will likely delay some of the planned installations until the fall. In the meantime, City of Santa Barbara and BCycle continue to site potential bike share locations and assess overall program performance.
Have a location where you’d like to see a bike share station? Contact BCycle at SantaBarbara@BCycle.com to request a station near you. For more information, visit https://santabarbara.bcycle.com for the latest on BCycle in Santa Barbara.
11 Comments
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Aug 26, 2021 10:45 AMI was skeptical about this, but I tried them out and it was an enjoyable ride. I wonder if the bikes will be in good condition after a few years?
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Aug 26, 2021 10:59 AMYou need to provide your own helmet, which means spur-of-the-moment riders will go without head protection. It costs $7 for a single 30 minute ride. There are monthly and annual passes that would be more cost effective, if you wanted to commit to that.
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Aug 26, 2021 11:16 AMGreat for the city but sad for WheelFun who now has to compete with the city, which is a no-win situation
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Aug 26, 2021 12:24 PMThis is a nice amenity for tourists but really not a save energy/save pollution/commute clean thing. It just seems wrong that the city has put its weight on the side of this company by giving it such an advantage over other tourist bike rentals. Maybe the controversial and now exiled city staff guy had something to do with this? Wasn't he a big bike fan?
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Aug 26, 2021 12:30 PMThe bikes are nice to ride. But, I do wish they offered even shorter rentals (or charged by the minute). For someone that lives close to downtown, it would be nice to hop on one for a quick 5-10 blocks but that easily takes less than 10 min. I don't use it enough to justify the monthly/annual membership and uber/lyft are still cheaper if you have multiple people. I still end up choosing to walk most of the time. Maybe prorate it by the minute?
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Aug 26, 2021 01:45 PMThe city competing with local companies is not a good idea. The city pays no taxes and no rent. This should not be allowed.
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Aug 26, 2021 02:45 PMI agree, to a point. The city used to offer the State Street and the Waterfront shuttles, with rides for fifty cents. Were those competing with taxis and rideshare companies? The shuttle offered cheap rides, with permission to stop right on State Street. Transportation is a bit different from other businesses, in that the city has an interest in facilitating certain types in certain places. But it does seem unfair to bike rental companies that have long catered to visitors.
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Aug 26, 2021 08:53 PMIf the city provides 'free rides' that is fine. But it appears the city is trying to make money on the bike rides which is NOT ok.
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Aug 27, 2021 02:19 PMAbsurd talking point,
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Aug 26, 2021 05:29 PMI’m glad they are being used. I don’t know the financial arrangement the operator has with the city, but I’d imagine the city is getting some sort of income. I normally ride my bike downtown from the Westside, but I thought I’d occasionally use these bikes on an as-needed basis. When I saw that the minimum charge is $7 for 30 minutes, I discarded that idea. I’ve used similar bikes in Santa Monica, and was able to pay by the minute, which I found very useful and fair. I hope they rethink their fee structure.
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Aug 27, 2021 07:20 AMSeems wrong to use city resources to compete with local businesses. Denver CO is a bike city, but dropped BCycle and looking for a new provider. One of the issues with the company is favoring rich white areas and lack of service in minority areas. Also ridership had been declining.