A video posted by CJMcCollum (@3jmccollum) on
This video, posted to Instagram and Twitter last night by Trail Blazers star guard CJ McCollum, says just about everything you need to know about Portland’s new bike share system: It’s fun, it’s easily accessible which encourages spontaneity (McCollum said his ride was done on an impulse, probably as a celebration of his new contract), it’s considered cool enough for a stylish and respected NBA star to ride (thanks Nike!), and it appeals to a much broader swath of Portlanders than regular old cycling does.
These are just some of the reasons why after just one week, Biketown looks like a huge success that’s making people sing and smile (just like CJ) all over town. In fact, over 7,000 people have taken a Biketown for a ride in the first 7 days.
Here are the latest numbers from Biketown’s operator Motivate Inc as of 2:00 pm yesterday (Tuesday):
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Annual Members: 1640
Single Ride: 4184
Day Pass: 1305
Total number of trips: 13,402 (that’s about 1.9 trips per bike per day)
I’m reluctant to compare our stats to other cities because it’s impossible to find an apples-to-apples comparison. Suffice it to say these are very solid numbers. And if you’ve been keeping your eyes peeled on the streets (or on social media) since last Tuesday you know that Portlanders love this system and all types of people — both locals and visitors — are already making it a part of their lives.
I’ve got a longer post in the works that summarizes a bunch of my initial thoughts, tips and other observations about the profound impact Biketown is having on Portland. Stay tuned and enjoy your new bicycle transit system. After all it’s “highly recommended” by “3J” himself.
— Jonathan Maus, (503) 706-8804 – jonathan@bikeportland.org
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