Overcoming the Challenges of Winter Bike Share
Phil Goff, Sr. Associate and Director of Bike Share Services 2/3/15
Presentation AGENDA
 Why a year‐round program is important
 The geography of seasonal programs
 The challenges to moving beyond seasonal
Strategies for expanding operations
T R A N S P O R T A T I O N
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What is bike share?
• Fleet of shared bikes,
accessible to members
• Member accounts connected to a credit card account
• Bikes available for a free period—usually 30‐45 minutes—or additional fee
• Short, point‐to‐point trips
• Perfect compliment to transit
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Year‐round bike share vs. seasonal
Benefits of a year‐round bike share program:
• Functions truly like a transit system
• Predictability for annual/monthly members and casual users
• Avoids need to re‐deploy every spring
• Additional visibility and awareness of bicyclists throughout the winter
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The geography of seasonal programs
T R A N S P O R T A T I O N
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The geography of seasonal programs
Seasonal programs with partial winter operations
Madison B‐Cycle
 ‐ 2015‐16 winter pilot: 6 of 40 stations
Hubway
 ‐ Year‐round system in Cambridge
 ‐ 50% of Boston stations open thru December 31
Hamilton SoBi
 ‐ 2015‐16 winter pilot: 200 of 750 bikes deployed
T R A N S P O R T A T I O N
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Three Approaches to Partial Operations
1.
Less Dense Network
o Madison B‐Cycle: Pilot w/ 6 of 40 stations through the winter
2. Limited Service Area
o Hubway: 50% of Boston stations through December; 100% year‐round in Cambridge (36 of 140 stations)
3. Fewer Bikes Deployed
o Hamilton SoBi: Pilot with 200 of 750 bikes through the winter
o Divvy: 33% of fleet in storage o Pittsburgh Healthy Ride: 50% of the fleet in storage
T R A N S P O R T A T I O N
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The geography of seasonal programs
City
System Name
Equipment Type
City(ies) Population
Current Number of bikes
Operations
Average Average Annual Temp. (F) Winter Low (F) Snow Fall
Boulder, CO
Boulder B‐Cycle
Dock
101,771
250 bikes (38 stations)
Annual
52°
23°
89"
Montreal, QU
Bixi
Dock
3,824,221
5,000 bikes (460 stations
Seasonal
45°
10°
82"
Ottawa, ON
VeloGo
Dock + Smart Lock
870,250
500 bikes (50 stations)
Seasonal
36°
13°
69"
Salt Lake City, UT
GREENBike B‐Cycle
Dock
189,462
150 bikes (20 stations)
Seasonal
55°
30°
56"
Minneapolis, MN
Nice Ride
Dock
7,000,000
1750 bikes (190 stations)
Seasonal
46°
12°
54"
Denver, CO
Denver B‐Cycle
Dock
634,265
709 bikes (83 stations)
Annual
50°
19°
54"
46°
17°
53"
Madison, WI
Madison B‐Cycle
Dock
240,323
350 bikes (35 stations)
Annual (Partial Winter Operations)
Fargo, ND
Great Rides Bike Share
Dock
113,658
100 bikes (11 stations)
Seasonal
42°
8°
50"
Toronto, ON
Bixi
Dock
2,800,000
600 ikes (60 stations)
Annual
53°
26°
47"
Milwaukee, WI
Bublr Bikes
Dock
599,642
74 bikes (10 stations)
Annual
47°
21°
47"
Hamilton, ON
SoBi
Smart Lock
740,238
750 bikes (115 stations)
44°
16°
46"
Greater Boston, MA
Hubway
Dock
878,786
1,300 bikes (140 stations)
51°
22°
44"
Pittsburgh, PA
Healthy Ride
Dock + Smart Lock hybrid
306,189
500 bikes (50 stations)
Annual
52°
26°
41"
Chicago, IL
Divvy
Dock
2,715,000
3,000 bikes (300 stations)
Annual
50°
23°
36"
New York City, NY
Citibike
Dock
8,344,000
6,000 bikes (332 stations)
Annual
55°
29°
28"
Philadelphia, PA
Indego
Dock
1,549,000
600 bikes (72 stations)
Annual
55°
28°
22"
Boise, ID
Boise GreenBike
Smart Lock
214,000
110 bikes (15 stations)
Annual
52°
27°
19"
Washington, DC
Capital Bikeshare
Dock
1,010,450
2,900 bikes (346 stations)
Annual
55°
29°
14"
T R A N S P O R T A T I O N
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R E C R E A T I O N
Annual (Partial Winter Operations)
Annual (Partial Winter Operations)
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I N N O V A T I O N
The geography of seasonal programs
City
System Name
Equipment Type
City(ies) Population
Current Number of bikes
Operations
Boulder, CO
Boulder B‐Cycle
Dock
101,771
250 bikes (38 stations)
Annual
52°
23°
89"
Montreal, QU
Bixi
Dock
3,824,221
5,000 bikes (460 stations
Seasonal
45°
10°
82"
Ottawa, ON
VeloGo
Dock + Smart Lock
870,250
500 bikes (50 stations)
Seasonal
36°
13°
69"
Salt Lake City, UT
GREENBike B‐Cycle
30°
56"
Minneapolis, MN
Nice Ride
12°
54"
Denver, CO
Denver B‐Cycle
Madison, WI
Fargo, ND
Seasonal Madison B‐Cycle
Programs
Great Rides Bike Share
Annual Bixi
Milwaukee, WIPrograms
Bublr Bikes
Toronto, ON
Dock
189,462
150 bikes (20 stations)
Average Winter Low Dock
7,000,000
1750 bikes (190 stations)
Temperature
Temperature
Dock
634,265
709 bikes (83 stations)
113,658
100 bikes (11 stations)
Dock
2,800,000 24 degrees (F)
600 ikes (60 stations)
52 degrees (F)
Dock
599,642
74 bikes (10 stations)
Seasonal
55°
Annual Snow Seasonal
46°
Fall (inches)
Annual
45 degrees (F)
16 degrees (F)
Dock
240,323
350 bikes (35 stations)
Dock
Average Average Annual Temp. (F) Winter Low (F) Snow Fall
50°
19°
54"
Annual (Partial Winter Operations)
46°
17°
53"
Seasonal
42°
8°
50"
53°
26°
47"
47°
21°
47"
44°
16°
46"
51°
22°
44"
57
Annual
39
Annual
Annual (Partial Winter Operations)
Annual (Partial Winter Operations)
Hamilton, ON
SoBi
Smart Lock
740,238
750 bikes (115 stations)
Greater Boston, MA
Hubway
Dock
878,786
1,300 bikes (140 stations)
Pittsburgh, PA
Healthy Ride
Dock + Smart Lock hybrid
306,189
500 bikes (50 stations)
Annual
52°
26°
41"
Chicago, IL
Divvy
Dock
2,715,000
3,000 bikes (300 stations)
Annual
50°
23°
36"
New York City, NY
Citibike
Dock
8,344,000
6,000 bikes (332 stations)
Annual
55°
29°
28"
Philadelphia, PA
Indego
Dock
1,549,000
600 bikes (72 stations)
Annual
55°
28°
22"
Boise, ID
Boise GreenBike
Smart Lock
214,000
110 bikes (15 stations)
Annual
52°
27°
19"
Washington, DC
Capital Bikeshare
Dock
1,010,450
2,900 bikes (346 stations)
Annual
55°
29°
14"
T R A N S P O R T A T I O N
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I N N O V A T I O N
Moving beyond a seasonal program
Key Challenges
• Snow‐clearing policies/procedures
• Winterized bike infrastructure
• Operations/wear‐and‐tear
• Policy/funding challenges
• Concerns about low use • User concerns about snow/ice, safety and cold weather
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Snow clearing policies and procedures
T R A N S P O R T A T I O N
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Snow clearing policies and procedures
Citibike System 72 hours after 26” of snow
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Snow clearing policies and procedures
The work of Motivate’s contractors for Hubway in Cambridge
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Snow clearing policies and procedures
Storm Preparations
Snow Clearance
• Pittsburgh: place 60% of fleet in storage, lock the rest
• Chicago: rarely shuts down system (2x in 2 years)
• NYC & Cambridge: with >12” of snow, locks down entire system
• Pittsburgh & Milwaukee: non‐
profit does all shoveling
• Chicago: done by vendor; prioritized list of key stations
• Cambridge: vendor shovels and spreads non‐corrosive ice melt; vendor paid per inch of snow, City pays Motivate fixed price per season
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Operational issues
Low Temperatures
Dealing with salt on roads
• Pittsburgh: some problems • Pittsburgh: corrosion‐
with batteries, shifters and resistant spray on bikes and brakes ‘freezing’
cold‐rated lube within hubs
• Madison: most stations left in‐ • Cambridge: uses ‘rust‐buster’ place, ‘winterized’, with chains, frequently lubed
computer hardware removed • Cambridge and Chicago: hand • Cambridge: bikes removed cleaning of bikes & stations with dock cleared of snow/ice on regular basis (both avoid to prevent freezing
power washing due to ice)
• Cambridge: one van full of bikes to the shop each night
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Winterized bicycle infrastructure
Chicago
Hit or miss in
Cambridge
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Policy/funding challenges
Milwaukee Bublr
• Non‐profit’s mission is to provide transportation year‐round
Cambridge Hubway
• 2012: 80% of 24‐station launch was off‐street • 2013: surveys showed clear desire for winter service
• 2014: Recalculated donor costs for winter operations (no add’l costs for users)
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New Hubway curb extension in Cambridge
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Policy/funding challenges
Winter Operations
Winter Operations
Cost‐related PRO’S
Cost‐related CON’S
o No removal and storage of equipment required
o Additional wear and tear on bikes and stations
o Revenues related to walk‐
up rentals
o Additional replacement of batteries
o Minimal rebalancing due to lower use
o Station snow clearance (need for additional staff or contractors)
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Concerns about low use – Citibike
Summer peak:
1.2 million/month
Winter low:
0.2 million/month
(17% of peak)
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Concerns about low use – Citibike
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Concerns about low use – Divvy
Summer peak:
>500k/month
Winter low:
50k/month
(10% of peak)
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Concerns about low use – Hubway
Cambridge Summer peak:
38k/month
Cambridge Winter low:
5‐10k/month
(15‐25% of peak)
T R A N S P O R T A T I O N
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Concerns about low use – Hubway
Cambridge Summer peak:
12k/month
Cambridge Winter low:
<500/month
(<5% of peak)
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Concerns about low use – Others
• Milwaukee Bublr
o 5500 trips in Oct. 2015
o 1600 trips in Dec. 2015 o Madison B‐Cycle
o 16,257 trips in July 2015 (29 trips/dock/month)
o 356 trips in Jan. 2016 (3.6 trips/dock/month, 12% of July peak)
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User concern about safety and cold
Web site and Social Media Strategy
• “Winter Rider Safety” – Pittsburgh
• “Winter Riding Tips” – NYC, Cambridge, Madison
• “Divvy in the Winter” – riding tips and explanation of services provided by Divvy
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User concern about safety…
Low gearing for
slow speeds
Wider tires (in Madison,
knobby tires for winter)
Heavy bike (40-45 lbs)
= stability
Hub roller brakes for
all-weather stopping
T R A N S P O R T A T I O N
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Upright position
w/ good visibility
Built-in lights
and generator
I N N O V A T I O N
Divvy’s winter marketing programs
#HOLIDIVVY
• ‘Unicorn Bike’ campaign
• Winter themed prizes
• Mid‐winter free meal for new members
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Divvy’s winter marketing programs
#DIVVYON
• Custom hashtag to connect riders and collect winter images
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Divvy’s winter marketing programs
Winter Ridership Contest during lead‐in to 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia
• Gold Medal: Awarded to any member who took 50+ trips
• Silver Medal: Awarded to members who took 25+ trips
• Bronze Medal: Awarded to members who took 5+ trips
• All medalists were announced on Divvy web site and Social Media
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Divvy’s winter marketing programs
Leveraging the Media
• Divvy Data Challenge: celebrates the release of year‐
end data, which engages members, tech community and media
• Member survey: findings released during winter to drum up press
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Key Lessons for year‐round service
• If possible, bring in third‐party vendor for snow/ice clearance
• Plan for off‐street station sites
• Expect 15‐20% of peak use
• Frequent cleaning a must
• Winterize bike if necessary
• Market and promote winter riding like crazy
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