Bike Sharing In Jacksonville? Why Not?

[tufsu1]

^ OK...that's just stupid...maybe do some TB research first

[simms3]

San Francisco rolled out its fairly massive bike sharing program yesterday.  I was standing outside having a conversation with someone during "rush hour" and was able to count one bike from the program used out of close to 60 that passed by.  The limitations with this program in my opinion are price and time.  Basically, it's expensive.  Also, you have 30 minutes to use...so it's good if you have a rack near your office building and near your apartment so you can commute, but the cost in my opinion is not worth it.

I'll continue to monitor.

[DaveBaldwinJax]

I work on the Southbank. I commute by bus, usually. I'd rent a bike for the occasional errand... Ride over to the Square. Or, Skyway to Hemming and ride from there to wherever. But, not in June, July, August.

[coredumped]

The company behind America's biggest bike share programs just declared bankruptcy

Citizens of Montreal may be left with the bill


Bixi, the company that supplied the bicycles and stations for lauded bike sharing services in cities like New York, Chicago, and Montreal, has filed for bankruptcy, facing almost $50 million in debt it cannot pay. At the heart of its troubles is buggy software that has led New York and Chicago to refuse to pay millions of dollars, arguing that the promised upgrades to help track and analyze rides have not been delivered.

Full article:
http://www.theverge.com/2014/1/21/5331014/the-company-behind-americas-biggest-bike-share-programs-just-declared

[thelakelander]

Downtown Lakeland is attempting to launch a bike share pilot program. The cost for operating the initial 30-bike fleet is $54,000 annually.

LAKELAND — Ditching the car in central Lakeland and cruising under pedal power will get easier with a bike sharing pilot program expected to hit two wheels as soon as November.

Under the likely vendor's program, riders could subscribe for around $25 a year and pick up an available bike for a limited amount of time, likely 90 minutes each day, or add time by paying more. Transactions would be through the Internet, phone app or text message.

The program, organized by the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority, is geared for quick crosstown jaunts — transportation, not necessarily recreation.

Rates will be set locally, not by the vendor, but the goal is to make it as inexpensive as possible to build interest and increase access, LDDA Executive Director Julie Townsend said.

Price and ease-of-use were major factors as the LDDA and city employees interviewed potential bike-sharing vendors, of which there are dozens nationally. After some eye-popping price tags, the group chose Zagster, a Boston-based bike sharing company with bicycle networks in several cities, business parks and college campuses throughout the nation, Townsend said.

full article: http://www.theledger.com/article/20151002/NEWS/151009864/1134?Title=Community-bikes-coming-to-downtown

[ProjectMaximus]

Birmingham, AL seems to have just started a really strong program. They have somewhat of a dynamic station model based on the needs of the community. http://zypbikeshare.com/

I thought about reaching out to them to see whether it could be copied here in Jax but I just don't have the time to do any follow up so I didnt.

[UNFurbanist]

Downtown Lakeland is attempting to launch a bike share pilot program. The cost for operating the initial 30-bike fleet is $54,000 annually.

LAKELAND — Ditching the car in central Lakeland and cruising under pedal power will get easier with a bike sharing pilot program expected to hit two wheels as soon as November.

Under the likely vendor's program, riders could subscribe for around $25 a year and pick up an available bike for a limited amount of time, likely 90 minutes each day, or add time by paying more. Transactions would be through the Internet, phone app or text message.

The program, organized by the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority, is geared for quick crosstown jaunts — transportation, not necessarily recreation.

Rates will be set locally, not by the vendor, but the goal is to make it as inexpensive as possible to build interest and increase access, LDDA Executive Director Julie Townsend said.

Price and ease-of-use were major factors as the LDDA and city employees interviewed potential bike-sharing vendors, of which there are dozens nationally. After some eye-popping price tags, the group chose Zagster, a Boston-based bike sharing company with bicycle networks in several cities, business parks and college campuses throughout the nation, Townsend said.

full article: http://www.theledger.com/article/20151002/NEWS/151009864/1134?Title=Community-bikes-coming-to-downtown

Wow that's awesome! Lakeland has honestly become pretty cool since I left. Very progressive thinking lately for a small town. Always something new when I visit. Mr. Studial, the head city planner, is a smart guy who really gets it and has pushed through a ton of progress!

[UNFurbanist]

So I'm back in Lakeland for the holidays and the bike share program is up and running. Couldn't tell how much use it's actually been getting but the system is pretty cool. It amazes me that little Lakeland can get a program like this funded and Jax can't. Tampa and Orlando also have a bike share program in place. Why do we have such a hard time with these things?!

[TimmyB]

So I'm back in Lakeland for the holidays and the bike share program is up and running. Couldn't tell how much use it's actually been getting but the system is pretty cool. It amazes me that little Lakeland can get a program like this funded and Jax can't. Tampa and Orlando also have a bike share program in place. Why do we have such a hard time with these things?!

As always, I'm speaking as an outsider, who is hoping to become a local in 2017.  The only things on our checklist that Jax doesn't have are (1) a great mass transit system, and (2) a pedestrian/cycling friendly layout.  The second one of these is my answer to your question.  It is not a city that values pedestrians and cyclists; it values the automobile 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.  We will make it work for us as the area that we are hoping to be in is pretty good for recreational cycling and walking/running, but if you are hoping to be a commuter cyclist in this town (or, have a long dedicated bike-way to get from say, the Beaches to DT), forget about it.  And, if you take your bikes DT, you will quickly discover just how unfriendly a place THAT is for you.  There simply is NO good place in this town to do any recreational cycling for more than a couple of miles, unless you go out to the Baldwin Trail, and that really is not a place that tourists want to go.  This comes from generations of being pushed aside.  It won't come back quickly.  Just my two cents.

[thelakelander]

Lakeland has made a lot of strides over the last few years, but the urban core is just about as bike friendly as Jax's is now. If Jax truly wants bike share, it can be done. It's not rocket science.

[thelakelander]

So I'm back in Lakeland for the holidays and the bike share program is up and running. Couldn't tell how much use it's actually been getting but the system is pretty cool. It amazes me that little Lakeland can get a program like this funded and Jax can't. Tampa and Orlando also have a bike share program in place. Why do we have such a hard time with these things?!

I believe our isolation does us a disservice in some areas.  Lakeland has come to understand that it has to compete head-to-head against its larger neighbors for economic development and in attracting and retaining a skilled workforce. There, with Tampa being 20 minutes away and Orlando 40 minutes away in the opposite direction, the competition and the results of winning are easy to see. There's also nearby smaller cities wanting a bigger piece of Central Florida's pie like Brandon, Plant City, Kissimmee, Winter Haven, etc. (all more than twice the size of St. Augustine) to push you. Up here, we really don't have a bigger regional brother or two...or three to push us. Thus, it's easier to make excuses for not seriously investing in similar things.