Last summer, a citywide bike sharing program seemed like a distant dream. Now, it’s a reality.
This fall, New Orleans is launching a fleet of 700 social bikes, according to the Uptown Messenger. The new bike sharing program will have 700 custom-designed bikes throughout 70 strategically placed staations around the city.
This past summer, New Orleans chose the Brooklyn-based Social Bicycles to spearhead its new public transportation program in the fall of 2017. Social Bicycles Bike share is used in over 25 cities, including Atlanta, Tampa and Orlando.
Based on the report, users will be able to access bikes at one of the 70 locations around New Orleans. To use the bike, a user will need to have a social bicycle card, that will cost $15 a month. Under the $15 flat rate, users will be able to rent a bike for 60 minutes a day. Any time over the 60 minutes, users will be charged an additional $8 an hour, according to Uptown Messenger.
The city of New Orleans will also offer a low-income version of the pass that, for $1.67 or $20 a year, will offer the same benefits as a regular pass.
Once the user has a confirmed card, checkout is easy. The bikes will have a custom, secure lock that will release after the user’s card is placed on hold. The user can then ride the bike to one of the 69 other stations around city. At the return destination, after the bike is properly stowed into the station, the users card is charged.
Check out this how-it-works video for more information on Social Bicycles:
According to the Uptown Messenger, The Q1 winter, spring and summer of 2017 will be used for the city’s transportation department to meet with neighborhood organizations and to finalize strategic locations for the bike share program.
- Citywide Bike Sharing Could Be Coming to New Orleans [Curbed NOLA]
- Brooklyn-Based Company Will Bring Bike Sharing to New Orleans [Curbed NOLA]
- New Orleans to launch fleet of 700 publicly shared “social bicycles” this fall [Uptown Messenger]