Mobi (bike share)
 Mobi bike share station near BC Place in downtown Vancouver | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Locale | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| Transit type | Bicycle-sharing system |
| Number of stations | 150 (planned) |
| Website |
mobibikes |
| Operation | |
| Began operation | July 20, 2016 |
| Operator(s) | CycleHop |
| Number of vehicles | 1,500 (planned) |
Mobi (pronounced "moe-bee")[1] is a bicycle-sharing system in Vancouver, British Columbia. The system is owned by the city and is operated by CycleHop. The system launched on July 20, 2016, with a limited number of stations and bicycles for founding members. A full launch with 150 stations and 1,500 bicycles, manufactured by Smoove, is expected in fall 2016.
History
A public bike share system for Vancouver was first proposed in 2008 through a feasibility study by TransLink. The following year, the Vancouver City Council directed staff to begin searching for an operator, with Alta Bicycle Share selected as the preferred operator in 2011. A five year, $6 million contract was signed by the city with Alta in July 2013, aiming for a spring 2014 launch for a system with 1,500 bicycles.[2][3]
The bankruptcy of bicycle manufacturer Bixi in early 2014 pushed back the launch date, and the sale of Alta Bike Share to Motivate in October prompted the city to look for a new service provider the following year. In February 2016, the City of Vancouver signed a five-year, $5 million agreement with CycleHop to operate a bike sharing system in the city by the end of the year.[2]
A soft launch for founding members was held on July 20, 2016, with 260 bicycles and 23 stations open in Downtown Vancouver and part of the Fairview neighborhood, bounded by Arbutus Street to the west, 16th Avenue to the south, and Main Street to the east. By the end of the summer, the entire initial phase of 1,500 bicycles and 150 stations is expected to open.[4]
Pricing
Mobi offers three payment options for its rental service: two annual plans of $180 and $240 for 30 and 60 minutes of unlimited riding per day, respectively; and a daily rate of $7.50 for unlimited 30-minute rides. Overage fees of $2 for 31–60 minutes of riding on the $180 plan, and $3 per half-hour for rides over 60 minutes are also charged. During the soft launch, a "founding members" discount brought the annual plans down to $99 and $129.[5][6]
Equipment
Mobi's fleet of 1,500 bicycles and its stations were built by Smoove, a French company that specializes in bike sharing systems. The "smart bikes" are able to be locked outside of designated stations with a lock and PIN code or digital key fob.[7][8]
The system provides free helmets alongside rented bikes to comply with the province's helmet law.[9] It, alongside Seattle's Pronto Cycle Share, are the only bicycle sharing systems in North America that are required to provide helmets.[4]
Bike share stations were deliberately placed at least 50 metres (160 ft) away from existing bike shops that offer competing rental services.[5]
References
- ↑ "Vancouver Bike Share unveils the program's name" (Press release). Mobi. May 20, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
- 1 2 Robinson, Matthew (February 23, 2016). "Vancouver eyes bike share system roll out within months". The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
- ↑ "Public bike share system". City of Vancouver. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
- 1 2 Bula, Frances (July 20, 2016). "After some bumps and crashes, Vancouver rolls out bike-share system". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
- 1 2 Mui, Michael (July 20, 2016). "Mobi bike share launches in Vancouver". 24 Hours Vancouver. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
- ↑ "Choose a plan". Mobi. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
- ↑ "How it works". Mobi. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
- ↑ Schaefer, Glen (July 20, 2016). "Vancouver's mayor wheels out city's Mobi bike-share program". The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
- ↑ Kelly, Trish (February 29, 2016). "Vancouver's bike share program up against helmet laws". Metro International. Retrieved July 25, 2016.