Bikes for a Few.
Capital Bikeshare (“CaBi”), Denver Bikeshare and most likely CitiBike are or will be highly successful along many metrics. However, one metric where CaBi and Denver have thusfar fallen short is serving those who need bikeshare the most. CaBi was subsidized by the taxpayer at a tune of about $9,000/bike. However, its average rider is disproportionately white, well educated and well off. The current smart-dock system is good, but to address increasingly intractable transportation challenges, it needs to be better.
Bikes for All.
Hoboken, New Jersey, a town well known for transportation innovation, has launched an innovative, lower cost, more flexible bikeshare model with options for the entire community (and tourists). The Hoboken model:
- Drives down set-up costs – Citibike’s smart-dock program costs between $8,000/bike and $16,000/bike to set up (variation due to number of bikes and status of Goldman Sachs “loan”). This is too expensive for many markets which need it most. In contrast, the hybrid Hoboken smart-lock system costs under $1,000/bike to set-up and thus is affordable for most communities including transportation-limited ones in the metro New York City area (e.g. Hunts Point, Red Hook, St George, parts of Jersey City).
- Enables multiple operators - Whereas the smart-dock requires a single owner/operator, the Hoboken model can be franchised meaning that if someone in the Rockaways wants bikeshare he/she can buy a franchise. Ditto any other market. Not only does this accelerate the roll-out of bikes, it also encourages local ownership.
- Offers Second-Life Bikes – The Hoboken model includes “second life bikes” strategy that was developed in conjunction with the Harvard Alumni bikeshare study. When a bike in a bikeshare program is in need of refurbishment, that bike will be donated or sold-at-discount to groups in environmental justice and other bike-deficient areas. Initially this will be just Bike and Roll, but the goal is to bring bikes to all parts of a city – again, targeting neighborhoods in greatest need.
- Provides Easy Access – The smart-dock bikeshare model is ultimately based on the old landline phone. While most people continue to shift from the landline phone to the smart phone, the Hoboken pilot uses the Social Bicycle smart-lock system which has an on-bike keypad (no smart phone needed).
- Has more opportunities for citizens without bank accounts - The Hoboken model can use similar outreach program offered by the conventional smart-dock program (e.g. Bank on DC) and more. Dramatically lower set-up costs, an ability to franchise the technology and second-life-bikes makes it easier to make bikes available to all, including those without bank accounts.
- Is available in stations or in a completely open system - The smart-dock program only works with cumbersome stations. In contrast, the smart-lock (SoBi) program can be similarly placed in a station, or in other locations. The smart-lock is more flexible.
Win, win, win.
The ultimate goal is to create low cost (below $800/bike), shared transport as well as economic opportunities for a variety of urban conditions. Hoboken is a pilot. If it works, bikeshare will be much more viable in many more markets. A major win for bikeshare, a major win for urbanists.
