Kelowna Bicycle Rental Program

[rvr105]

We just returned from Dallas, Texas, where we were exposed to green and yellow rental bikes that were everywhere. Dallas started the program in August of last year and now there are over 20,000 bikes littering the landscape, sidewalks, alleys, streets, lawns, medians - literally "everywhere". What started out as a good idea is now a nightmare, and as the Dallas newspaper (Saturday Jan 20) quipped, they were like Star Trek's "tribbles" - seemingly an endless multiplication.

What started out as a single supplier is now four, and a fifth has applied to add even more bikes. The sight of yellow and green bikes laying on the ground in public thoroughfares as we drove in from the airport was, at first, curious, then over the next few days we became dismayed by the seemingly endless supply of bikes and by the time we left we actually felt a bit disgusted about the carelessness of the program. Funny, though, we never saw a single person riding a rental bike (although the minus 10 C weather might have had something to do with that!).

No bike corrals or docking stations - just leave it where you may. Dallas is, at best, a bit compromised for urban beauty, but the rent-a-bikes are like uncontrolled dandelions. According to the paper, it was now at the point (only 5 months into the program) where the city was considering sending out trucks to pick up any bike that was not in use or in a docking station and taking them to the auto compound (which they will soon fill to the brim, I'm sure) and the operators would be charged $50 to retrieve them.

There's a lesson here for Kelowna, one calling for strict control and monitoring, lest we become known for a new form of pestilence, "Okanagan Bike Blight".

[gman313]

a deposit would be pretty simple to have. Charge whatever the rate for the bike plus a $50 deposit. Return the bike, get your deposit.

Also, our population is like 120,000 vs the millions in Dallas so the scale is completely different. The fact we have a winter may also slow this initiative down. It won't be profitable in the winter while your bikes sit out in the cold rain and rust. Makes sense from say March - November though. Private, not public IMO

[spooker]

There's no need for a deposit since the bike are rented out through an app that knows who you are and where you are. And the major reason for having a dockless system is that you can grab the nearest bike, go where you need and not be required to transport it back or take it to the nearest docking station.

Also, this program is being run by a private company, not a public utility. The City is just providing the guidelines for how the company will be operating here.

There will be a truck that collects bikes that are outside the general usage zone and brings them back into play.

Starting with 500 bikes makes sense, test the waters and see how it's used. No one wants an eyesore. The guy from the city has put together a nice document that addresses a lot of the pain points discovered in other cities with regards to bike share programs.

https://kelownapublishing.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=10299

[Walking Wounded]

There's no need for a deposit since the bike are rented out through an app that knows who you are and where you are. And the major reason for having a dockless system is that you can grab the nearest bike, go where you need and not be required to transport it back or take it to the nearest docking station.

Also, this program is being run by a private company, not a public utility. The City is just providing the guidelines for how the company will be operating here.

There will be a truck that collects bikes that are outside the general usage zone and brings them back into play.

Starting with 500 bikes makes sense, test the waters and see how it's used. No one wants an eyesore. The guy from the city has put together a nice document that addresses a lot of the pain points discovered in other cities with regards to bike share programs.

https://kelownapublishing.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=10299

So I rent a bike, ride somewhere, go in to a store or whatever come out and someone else who just rented one took mine and there's no more in sight so I'm screwed. Sounds like a great idea to me. Well at least the dealers downtown won't gave to steal privately owned bikes anymore, there be an endless supply for them.

[MAPearce]

Ok , ok , ok ....

Everyone go back ....

This ...IS A TRAP !!!!

All I see is 500 useless beaten and stripped pieces of junk littering the streets in less than 9 months.

[60-YEARS-in-Ktown]

I can see 2 or 300 out there, more than that I just can't see.

[lightspeed]

Urban detritus.

[spooker]

We'll get to see what happens ... I'm going to hope that it goes well ... I find that I'm a lot less grumpy when I'm optimistic, there'd be many people on these forums that might benefit from the same outlook ;)

[the truth]

There's no need for a deposit since the bike are rented out through an app that knows who you are and where you are. And the major reason for having a dockless system is that you can grab the nearest bike, go where you need and not be required to transport it back or take it to the nearest docking station.

Also, this program is being run by a private company, not a public utility. The City is just providing the guidelines for how the company will be operating here.

There will be a truck that collects bikes that are outside the general usage zone and brings them back into play.

Starting with 500 bikes makes sense, test the waters and see how it's used. No one wants an eyesore. The guy from the city has put together a nice document that addresses a lot of the pain points discovered in other cities with regards to bike share programs.

https://kelownapublishing.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=10299

So I rent a bike, ride somewhere, go in to a store or whatever come out and someone else who just rented one took mine and there's no more in sight so I'm screwed. Sounds like a great idea to me. Well at least the dealers downtown won't gave to steal privately owned bikes anymore, there be an endless supply for them.

and that's the truth

[TreeGuy]

So I rent a bike, ride somewhere, go in to a store or whatever come out and someone else who just rented one took mine and there's no more in sight so I'm screwed. Sounds like a great idea to me. Well at least the dealers downtown won't gave to steal privately owned bikes anymore, there be an endless supply for them.

If you are still renting the bike it probably won't show up as available.

One person contacted the local CBC radio show and asked this question, "what about bike helmets and our bylaw?"

This is a good point. If you are a local and plan to use the bikes perhaps you will have your helmet with you. What about tourists though that may rent one and not have/use a helmet.

[the truth]

is it legal to rent these bikes without helmets ?

[spooker]

So I rent a bike, ride somewhere, go in to a store or whatever come out and someone else who just rented one took mine and there's no more in sight so I'm screwed. Sounds like a great idea to me. Well at least the dealers downtown won't gave to steal privately owned bikes anymore, there be an endless supply for them.

and that's the truth

Actually no, that's not the truth ... or I should clarify that it is if you're not thinking and you release the bike before you're done with it ...

If you check out a bike to go shopping, you wouldn't release it to the available pool until you are "done" with it ... once you've said you're done using a resource you can't expect it to stay there at your beck and call ... you actually have to think about your plan, something I know we're lacking too often these days ...

Seeing non-cyclists or people who've never tried a sharing service talk talk about this subject is just too funny ... sorry that I enjoy it ... maybe it's not that people here could use trying an optimistic outlook but rather that legalized marijuana can't come fast enough ...

One person contacted the local CBC radio show and asked this question, "what about bike helmets and our bylaw?"

This is a good point. If you are a local and plan to use the bikes perhaps you will have your helmet with you. What about tourists though that may rent one and not have/use a helmet.

They've already decided that supplying helmets isn't worth it, so the hope is that people will be smart about it ... people who will wear helmets will take care and plan accordingly, otherwise those who wouldn't wear a helmet won't put on shared helmets anyway ...

"Our bylaw" is not accurate by the way ... it's a provincial law, part of the 1996 MVA ... tourists aren't exempt from the law either ...

[featfan]

https://www.treehugger.com/bikes/foldab ... award.html

Disposable bike helmet.

[one wheel]

I loved all the comments because so many different issues have been brought up. BTW what is the cost of just one bike never mind the statement made of getting between 500 to 1500 ? OK. I'm with with maybe 100 at most. Helmets - well if you are a tourist I guess you get a pass on that ? The comment about bikes being taken (stolen) & used for deliveries ? Yes what does a person do when that happens ? Time will tell & maybe 9 months is a good estimate ?

[the truth]

https://www.treehugger.com/bikes/foldable-paper-bike-helmet-wins-james-dyson-award.html

Disposable bike helmet.

cool