bikesharing

ING Direct Canada's lion will appear on the BIXI Toronto bikes next spring, as they've signed on as the primary sponsor of the bikesharing program. Mayor Miller and Public Bike System Company reps announced ING this morning.

“Public bike systems like BIXI can significantly reduce the cost of commuting and make a healthy impact on our cities and our lives,” said Peter Aceto, President and CEO of ING DIRECT Canada. “We are always excited to help Canadians save their money so being a part of bringing BIXI to the Toronto community is a great fit for ING DIRECT.”

No word on what percentage of the sponsorship needed is being provided by ING, though I was assured it was a substantial proportion. BIXI Toronto is required to raise $600,000 for each of the next three years.

In related news, ING Direct has also sponsored the custom painted, Toronto Cyclists Union bike giveaway. Is it a coincidence that this Dutch company is supporting cycling in a big way?

From the Open FIle, here are seven things Torontonians need to know about BIXI and how it works in Montreal:

1. It's about frequent short trips, hence the pricing. Toronto fees are expected to be the same or similar to Montreal's, where subscriptions cost $78 for one year, $28 for one month and $5 for one day. After that, there are usage fees to consider. The first 30 minutes of every ride is free. After that, the next 30 minutes cost $1.50. The following half hour costs $3. And every subsequent half hour sets you back $6. But very few users ever reach that point. Bixi is not for sightseeing. It's for getting from Point A to Point B. A survey shows half of Montreal users jump on Bixis to get to and from work or school. Some are taking lunchtime jaunts or using Bixi to meet friends across town or as an alternative to the bus when they get off the subway.
2. You might not be able to return your bike at the first self-serve docking station you visit. It might be full. Don't panic. You'll be given 15 minutes of free time to reach another one. And stations are on average only 300 metres apart. A smart phone will help; you can check bike-dock availability online. In Montreal, this summer, some stations are filling up so quickly on weekday mornings that three "depot stations" were opened where commuters can hand bikes over to Bixi employees without the need to bother with a docking station.

Photo frrom lodoe-laura.

Pedestrian and blogTO writer, Annia, took the BIXI bikes for a spin last night at the BIXI Bash at Gladstone Hotel. As a person who doesn't cycle her perspective is interesting, because she is a representative user in the demographic that BIXI is targeting: those who don't bike but will start biking more regularly when it is dead simple.

My BIXI bike and I got off to a shaky start, which is a testament to how long it's been since I've mounted one of these things and not to the build quality of the bike itself, which I admit is rather sturdy. I bungee-strapped my bag onto the front rack, adjusted the seat to my desired (and very short) height and once I pushed off the curb, it all came back to me - just like... riding a bicycle. For someone who isn't familiar with the ins and outs of cycling, I can attest to how well the bike handled on the flooded potholes of Gladstone Avenue.

The word is that a lot of people feel the same about BIXI; over 100 people signed up for the membership just on the launch day. We're 1/10th of the way to meeting City Council's target.

“(City) council gave us the citizens a challenge: can we have 1,000 people subscribe by November?” said Sean Wheldrake, bicycle promotions coordinator at the City of Toronto.

Mayor Miller gave a congratulations to Michael Barry for reaching the Tour de France via a video on Veloo Media. (Congrats Michael! It's not often a Torontonian makes le Tour. Listen to his interview on CBC Radio)

And in a smooth segue (or at least as smooth Miller can do it) he pulls out his own competitive "touring" bike, the blue Bixi Toronto: a slick, aluminum, 3 speed bike with balloon, puncture-resistant tires, easy-adjust seat, bell and basket. What more could you want or need for $5 a day? And it's hopefully coming here in 2010.

Bixi has changed Montreal, according to the Gazette. Can it change Toronto?

And there is something about the Bixi - something that has captured the imagination, the hearts and the civic pride of Montrealers. And made the Bixi popular enough that it garnered more than one million rides in its first season and, within months of its launch, had been sold to at least four cities on three continents. Clearly, more cities are in the offing: the solar-powered, wireless modular Bixi system, with its stations that can be installed and removed relatively simply, just might be Montreal's best-known export these days.

"The Bixi was an instant success," said Manon Barbe, the city of Montreal executive committee member responsible for transportation. "There was the fact that it was developed here in Quebec, that the design was a Quebec design and that it used materials from here. That it created jobs here. ... It is an extraordinary Quebec success story. And the people who made it a success are the cyclists themselves."

Bixi is coming to Toronto!

It's exciting... but wait. There's still more work to be done before we'll get Bixi. City Council required that Bixi get 1000 membership pledges by November 30th of this year. That's 1000 people putting down money for a membership that will be good for next year if and when Bixi launches in Toronto. The City and community partners will be hosting a Bixi Toronto pledge drive kick-off in July (date TBA). To get started we (city staff and volunteers) are looking for 50 keen "community leaders" who are willing to pledge and work towards finding others.

City Hall put us in a tough spot but I think we can get these 1000 members if we all let people know just how great Bixi is. And Bixi is a great. Just look at how enthusiastically London is pushing Bixi there in the video!

Bixi is setting up a Toronto website (forwarding to the main site still), which will have all the details, plus the ability to purchase memberships. For now people can visit the Montreal-version to see how Bixi works. You can also read below on how Bixi Toronto will operate. We'll keep you notified on the location of the Bixi Toronto demo bikes so you can try them out yourself this summer.

After a long debate at city council (see a photo of councillors looking at the blue Bixi bike), Bixi public bikes are getting so close to being a reality that I can almost feel myself riding around on these elegant, cruising, commuter machines. The final vote at Council was 33-8 as councillors approved the plan provide a loan guarantee of $4.8 million to Bixi so that they can borrow money and roll out 1000 bikes at 80 stations, spaced 300 metres apart across the core. It's anticipated to be popular enough that the bikes will need to be expanded quickly.

Under the deal, Bixi will need to raise $600,000 in sponsorships and 1000 annual, paying memberships by November 30, 2010. (I will be helping to promote membership in Bixi so we can achieve that target. I'd buy all 1000 memberships myself if I could, but I don't have $78,000 sitting around.)

If all goes to plan the target launch date is May 1, 2011. From the Star:

Membership fees haven’t been finalized but are expected to be $78 a year, $28 a month, or $5 a day, allowing members to take a bike out whenever they want, up to 30 minutes at a time, for no extra charge.

The program, called Bixi (bicycle-taxi), was popular when it rolled out in Montreal last year with 3,000 bikes and 300 stations. It’s expected to be a hit here as well. The Canadian-made bikes are described as rugged and lightweight, with a rack that can handle a briefcase or a case of beer.

Tomorrow is do or die. Either council approves the loan guarantee and contract with Bixi, or it will be a long, long time before Toronto gets its own bikesharing program. Please go to City Hall at 10 am with your bike helmet on to show your support. The Mayor is making a special push for it!

The 2010 Bikeway Network will be coming up at a later time, possibly on May 12th. That's when the University bike lane pilot will up for vote. This item will be likely even more contentious than Bixi. Follow the bike union's Twitter feed @bikeunion to see when the item is coming up, then rush down to City Hall with your helmets!

I've got a lot of hope riding on Bixi. Way back in 2000, my roommate Todd Parsons first brought back the idea of yellow bikesharing back from his trip to Austin, Texas. This brought forth Bikeshare, which populated Toronto with lots of yellow bikes for 6 great years. Now I'm hoping that Bixi will more than fill the hole that Bikeshare left. I hope that all cyclists and other folks can jump to show the politicians that this is a great idea! We can't let Montreal have all the fun.

From Yvonne at the bike union:

As per my email last week about the City Council meeting taking place May 11th & 12th in Council Chambers - you are invited to attend whenever you are able.

Although I don't have specific details around timing, I now know that Item PW 32.8 – The Public Bike (Bixi-Toronto) Program (http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2010/pw/bgrd/backgroundfile-28853.pdf) will be one of the Mayor's items! Good news indeed.