After nearly a month since the launch of their ambitious “Velib” bike-sharing program, the city of Paris has been transformed by two-wheeled transit.
An article published today in the Times of London states that in the first three weeks, the bikes were borrowed a whopping 1.2 million times.
With Portland considering a similar program, the success in Paris will give Commissioner Sam Adams’ “Red Bike” idea even more momentum.
Here’s more from the story in the Times:
“Taxi drivers and other critics said that it would never work, but three weeks after Paris was sprinkled with 10,000 self-service bicycles, the scheme is proving a triumph and a new pedalling army appears to be taming the city’s famously fierce traffic.”
The article also notes some initial glitches,
“…there have been few teething troubles… one is a result of residents using them to glide downhill to work and then taking public transport home, resulting in gluts of bikes at some low-level stands and shortages at higher altitude stations.
New patterns are forming, with arriving commuters stripping the stands at railway stations. To ensure a morning ride, some have taken — illegally — to securing bikes at night with their own locks…50 were torn from their moorings and 180 vandalised in the first weeks of the scheme.”
The City of Portland is currently seeking proposals from private companies to manage a bike-rental/sharing system. All proposals must be in by September 17th. Read the official request and more information on Transportation Commissioner Sam Adams’ blog.