Bike Share Program Proposed for Jacksonville

[thelakelander]

Seven years after the launch of Florida's first bike share programs, a system has failed to materialize in Jacksonville. However, four experienced companies are prepared make Jacksonville's days as the largest city in the United States without a bike share system come to an end.

Full article: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/bike-share-program-proposed-for-jacksonville/

[fieldafm]

Personally a big fan of Lime. The e-bikes and electronic scooters are very user-friendly.

Doesn't look like JTA has had much coordination with COJ on this RFP, so I'm curious as to how Lime's dockless system would be received by the current administration at City Hall. The optimist in me hopes they would be favourable, as Lime's business model requires no public subsidies to operate and the company has a proven track record in attracting riders in the markets they serve. Was recently in Columbus, OH and saw just as many people on the scooters and bikes than I've seen in much larger cities... was pretty impressive.

[thelakelander]

I'm interested in seeing how entities like JTA and COJ will respond to dockless systems as well. It seems like bike stations and their expensive equipment are quickly going the way of the dinosaur. I hope we don't try to force companies into investing in such infrastructure while also telling them to be operationally self sustaining.

[KenFSU]

Love this, particularly if dockless.

My house is a 60 second walk from one of the new First Coast Flyer stations on the East Corridor.

Would love to take it and buy 30 minutes of extra productivity in the morning and evening, but limited mobility once downtown concerns me a little.

Bikeshare (and/or scootershare) would be such a great, useful solution.

[Steve]

Personally a big fan of Lime. The e-bikes and electronic scooters are very user-friendly.

Doesn't look like JTA has had much coordination with COJ on this RFP, so I'm curious as to how Lime's dockless system would be received by the current administration at City Hall. The optimist in me hopes they would be favourable, as Lime's business model requires no public subsidies to operate and the company has a proven track record in attracting riders in the markets they serve. Was recently in Columbus, OH and saw just as many people on the scooters and bikes than I've seen in much larger cities... was pretty impressive.

How do the mechanics of the program work if Dockless?

[ProjectMaximus]

Personally a big fan of Lime. The e-bikes and electronic scooters are very user-friendly.

Doesn't look like JTA has had much coordination with COJ on this RFP, so I'm curious as to how Lime's dockless system would be received by the current administration at City Hall. The optimist in me hopes they would be favourable, as Lime's business model requires no public subsidies to operate and the company has a proven track record in attracting riders in the markets they serve. Was recently in Columbus, OH and saw just as many people on the scooters and bikes than I've seen in much larger cities... was pretty impressive.

How do the mechanics of the program work if Dockless?

Pretty simple. They lock in place, so riders can literally leave them anywhere when they're done. When you want to pick up you look at a map showing where every single available bike is.

Yes, there are two obvious issues: 1) you can't necessarily count on them being in any particular location when you need them. 2) people can leave them in places that are inconvenient, hazardous, unattractive, etc.

Issue one is often alleviated by just the sheer number of the bicycles placed all over town. But this exacerbates issue #2.

You can google the sea of bikes littered literally like a landfill in city blocks in China. I've personally seen them blocking sidewalks, hanging in trees, and in the middle of the street in cities around the US. Here in Doral I am a member of "Spin" and I have seen people keep them outside their house in a gated community. Effectively turning them into their own personal bikes lol.

I believe there will be much more evolution in these systems and hopefully at some point in the near future there will be a smoother way to ensure the bikes are placed in safe and appropriate locations...before too many cities turn against these bikes. 

[thelakelander]

I assume the scooters work in a similar fashion?

[Kerry]

I assume the scooters work in a similar fashion?

Yes, but scooters are a lot less expensive so more can be put in service but the big difference is that the scooters need to be recharged on a regular basis so they are collected and repositioned.  Some cities are now requiring Lime and Bird scooters to be parked in Lime trees and Bird cages (just painted boxes on the ground) or the city confiscated them.

[bl8jaxnative]

Just in case it wasn't hard enough trying to get the city to make sure we have some decent sidewalks, we're going to plague them with random bicycles left everywhere.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dr-gridlock/wp/2017/10/05/abandoned-vandalized-and-illegally-parked-bike-share-bikes-now-a-d-c-problem/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.933ceef52ed4

[thelakelander]

Or perhaps there's a middle ground that creates more access and enhanced connectivity for all? We know what the problems are. The key is to implement and maintain while avoiding the negatives of poorly maintained and managed systems. At the s5ame time, regardless of bike share, we should be fixing our sidewalks and streets. Nevertheless, we're not alone in that battle and we're certainly not the city with the poorest infrastructure to also have bike share. I've been to cities with potholes that will swallow cars, yet they've been able to implement many of the same things discussed here.

[Tacachale]

Or perhaps there's a middle ground that creates more access and enhanced connectivity for all? We know what the problems are. The key is to implement and maintain while avoiding the negatives of poorly maintained and managed systems. At the same time, regardless of bike share, we should be fixing or sidewalks and streets. Nevertheless, we're not alone in that battle and we're certainly not the city with the poorest infrastructure to also have bike share. I've been to cities with potholes that will swallow cars, yet they've been able to implement many of the same things discussed here.

Battle Creek, Michigan has bike share. Enough said.

[Kerry]

Just in case it wasn't hard enough trying to get the city to make sure we have some decent sidewalks, we're going to plague them with random bicycles left everywhere.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dr-gridlock/wp/2017/10/05/abandoned-vandalized-and-illegally-parked-bike-share-bikes-now-a-d-c-problem/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.933ceef52ed4

Maybe we should at least have bike lanes first.  Total disconnect between JTA and the City

[thelakelander]

Tell that to Tampa, Orlando and Miami! We're all in the same position and they've had bike share for years. It's fine improving things simultaneously. At the end of the day, we won't have bike share if private companies feel the market can't support it.

[ProjectMaximus]

I assume the scooters work in a similar fashion?

I think so, except that they don't seem to inspire quite as bad treatment. I guess that's probably just the nature of the object itself.

[Steve]

Personally a big fan of Lime. The e-bikes and electronic scooters are very user-friendly.

Doesn't look like JTA has had much coordination with COJ on this RFP, so I'm curious as to how Lime's dockless system would be received by the current administration at City Hall. The optimist in me hopes they would be favourable, as Lime's business model requires no public subsidies to operate and the company has a proven track record in attracting riders in the markets they serve. Was recently in Columbus, OH and saw just as many people on the scooters and bikes than I've seen in much larger cities... was pretty impressive.

How do the mechanics of the program work if Dockless?

Pretty simple. They lock in place, so riders can literally leave them anywhere when they're done. When you want to pick up you look at a map showing where every single available bike is.

Yes, there are two obvious issues: 1) you can't necessarily count on them being in any particular location when you need them. 2) people can leave them in places that are inconvenient, hazardous, unattractive, etc.

Issue one is often alleviated by just the sheer number of the bicycles placed all over town. But this exacerbates issue #2.

You can google the sea of bikes littered literally like a landfill in city blocks in China. I've personally seen them blocking sidewalks, hanging in trees, and in the middle of the street in cities around the US. Here in Doral I am a member of "Spin" and I have seen people keep them outside their house in a gated community. Effectively turning them into their own personal bikes lol.

I believe there will be much more evolution in these systems and hopefully at some point in the near future there will be a smoother way to ensure the bikes are placed in safe and appropriate locations...before too many cities turn against these bikes. 

Makes sense - I definitely can see the issue with bikes being left anywhere. The Dock does help that.

Of course....the dock also creates the challenge - you have to drop off at a dock.

I'd also think routine maintenance would be harder with a dockless setup as now the maintenance folks need go find the bike all over creation.

I'd trust the opinion of those that have used the setup more than mine. I've used Bike Shares in a few cities but all were returned to a dock.