BICYCLE SHARING PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT. CUTR Webcast Series June 27, 2013 Lucas Cruse, AICP Research Associate ITS, Traffic Operations and Safety Program Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) University of South Florida (USF) Also reviews existing systems 1
Presentation Outline What is bike sharing? Operational & business models System goals System planning Typical issues What is Bike Sharing? A fleet of bicycles available on demand for short, one-way trips. Self propelled, single occupant transit. An innovative business venture. 2
Evolution of Bike Share in U.S. Free bicycles Bicycle libraries Current: modern kiosk systems Source: www.eckerd.edu Emerging: GPS-based station-less systems Source: www.viacycle.com Enabling Technologies Security Heavy-duty docks Custom-built bicycles Solar power Credit card payment collection RFID fobs to release bikes Smart phones GPS Helmet kiosks 3
Who Owns Bike Share Systems? Local governments Large institutions Non-profits Private companies Modern Usage Models Transit s Last Mile Limited trip duration Overage charges Membership types Annual Corporate/Institutional Casual/Tourist Seasonal closure 4
Funding Options: Capital & Operations Public funds: federal grants, state & local Private institutions or corporations Advertising revenue Title sponsorship On bikes & stations User fees Memberships Overage charges Opportunity sources Station sponsorship Development proffers Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Special events (corrals) Costs & Operations Management Management staff Rebalancing Bicycle maintenance GPS maintenance Marketing Customer service/call center 5
Bike Share System Goals Transportation service Economic development Environment Public health Business opportunity Stations vs. No Stations Up-front capital costs Station as barrier or opportunity? User interface Source: www.viacycle.com Operating costs Rebalancing? GPS system? Destination capacity 6
Organizational Arrangements What business model is the best? System goals Potential user pool Geography Funding sources, amounts, and restrictions Low user cost vs. operational cost recovery Fixed vs. fluctuating operational costs Technology selected and evolution potential Potential system growth Organizational Decisions Who will own the bikes and other infrastructure? Who will own the brand? Who will make the system decisions? Who will operate and maintain the system? How will the system grow? 7
System Planning Public process Official endorsements Transit Development Plan? Service area Demand analysis Density vs. Coverage Ridership projection Social equity Credit cards & deposits System placement Station or Hub Placement Service Area & Density Destinations Transit connections Bike routes and facilities Individual site selection criteria Land ownership Funding restrictions Off-street On-street 8
Station Placement Details Visit the sites! Work with neighbors! Solar exposure Obstructions Surface issues Clear access Visibility Station Site Details Site planning & graphics Documentation for federal funding Site prep Site approvals 9
Creating a Brand Source: www.capitalbikeshare.com System name Identified with place Website & membership management Special events Mapping and Wayfinding Serve many overall system information purposes types of cyclists users beyond cyclists 10
Mobile Apps Account management Wayfinding Bicycle availability Bicycle reservations Source: www.spotcycle.net Data Types Support System Goals Membership Trip numbers and types Temporal User type Origin-Destination System and usage revenue Demographics GPS Thefts and reported incidents Health and environmental extrapolations Member surveys Call Center/customer service reports 11
Open Data: Third-Party Visualizations http://bikes.oobrien.com More Data User agreement Track operations Vendor performance User satisfaction Support research topics 12
Community Reactions Image of the scofflaw cyclist Stop signs Sidewalk riding Helmets Constitutional right to abundant free parking? Use of public funds Safety Traffic Safety The 2011 Florida pedestrian fatality rates were nearly double the national average and bicycle fatality rates were nearly triple the national average. (NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts) 13
Improve Safety First? Is bicycling dangerous? All traffic is dangerous Perception is reality Where the bike lane ends Safety in numbers In consideration of all the benefits Not bicycling may be more dangerous Bicycle Planning Education Enforcement Encouragement Engineering Evaluation www.alerttodayflorida.com 14
Education Enforcement 15
Engineering 31 Encouragement Integration with Transportation Demand Management (TDM) programs Employer/Institution supported memberships Events System launch & milestones 16
Key Points Bike Sharing is many things Establish clear system goals Capital purchase is only first step One piece of local bicycle culture Questions? Lucas Cruse, AICP Research Associate ITS, Traffic Operations and Safety Center for Urban Transportation Research University of South Florida 813-974-1584 lcruse@cutr.usf.edu 17