Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Moc Artsy on May 31, 2010 at 4:44am

Hi Liz,
Evidently Daley was all inspired during a trip to Paris a couple years ago to bring a similar bike-sharing program to Chicago. I'm not sure what became of this, but here are some older news stories about this:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/transportation/jan-june08/bikes...

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14429468

I assume this is in limbo because of the Great Recession, Chicago-style public policy idiocy, and the sad fate of some of the bikes in Europe:

http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2009/10/tradegy-of-commons.html

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Dr. Doom on May 31, 2010 at 4:55am

The University of Chicago has a small bike share that works pretty well. Since the city can't be counted on to do anything cool or useful, successful bike sharing here would probably work on that model, with neighborhood programs run either by large institutional sponsors or private clubs collaborating with groups like Working Bikes or West Town Bikes to get some beaters on the streets.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Duppie on May 31, 2010 at 5:50am

The reality is that running a large scale bike sharing operation profitably is not as easy as it sounds. Mayor Daley's plan involved outsourcing the management to an operator who has experience with maintaining public infrastructure (like bus shelters). Given the fact that easy credit dried up these companies pretty much shied away from it.

Smaller neighborhood oriented programs like Dr. Doom mentions might work better, since you might find sponsors that aren't necessarily looking for a profit. But these project might not scale as well

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Liz W. Durham on May 31, 2010 at 9:02am

Interesting idea...smaller neighborhood programs. I wonder how that would ultimately work out. Would bikes have to be returned to the exact location? Because one of the things I have read is that larger programs allow for bikes to be returned to any "station" that is part of the program.

Is the University one just for getting around on campus?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on May 31, 2010 at 11:03am

There's also a small program up at Loyola. I saw a couple of the bikes on CM last Friday.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by S on May 31, 2010 at 4:32pm

Liz W. Durham said:

Interesting idea...smaller neighborhood programs. I wonder how that would ultimately work out. Would bikes have to be returned to the exact location? Because one of the things I have read is that larger programs allow for bikes to be returned to any "station" that is part of the program.

Is the University one just for getting around on campus?

The U of C has you return the bikes to same location you got it from. You also need to return the bike by 7pm so it's okay for trips during the day but that's about it.

• ▶ Reply