With gas prices climbing daily, many commuters are looking for a more economic (and ecologically responsible) way to travel. Treehugger reports that the City of Montreal has launched one possible solution: the Public Bike System.
The Public Bike System is comprised of modular units that can be moved and added to as needed depending on volume. Users visit a web site to locate a rental unit close to their location and get a real-time update detailing how many bikes are at that location. With an access card or credit card, they can then choose a bike and rent it for any length of time, simply returning it to another station when they reach their destination.
The software behind the Public Bike System tracks every bike in the system, gauging how many bikes are at each location and the functional status of each bike, as well as the status of solar panels running the system and the electronics. Users can alert the system from the rental units if a bike is damaged, and the stats are monitored for traffic and usage patterns, allowing for stations, docks, and bikes to be redeployed as needed.
The bikes themselves have a sturdy, weather-resistant design that includes an aluminum frame, with all cables and derailleur covered. Lighting on the front and back of the bike is always on for additional safety, and the bikes dock with RFID connection. Because the stations and docks run on solar power, they can be placed anywhere in the city and relocated as needed without worrying about connection.
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Comments
The Montreal bike system is so last century and who cares about climate change anyway. The Nova Scotia government has just launched a far more progressive system. They have just given the provincial ATV association over a quarter of a million dollars to buy child size ATVs so they can teach kids 6-16 how to drive ATVs (see Chronicle Herald June 19 for the full story). Now that's real progress!
The Nova Scotia program makes much more sense as we don't want our children to break into a sweat. No longer will our kids get out of breath biking, no longer will we worry about our children riding bikes on city streets. They'll all be having great fun tearing up Nova Scotia's wilderness and at the same time, they'll be keeping our economy going by buying gas at sky high prices. Oh! and when then they're old enough, they'll be really experienced to drive cars and motorbikes and won't be clogging up our streets with those darn bicycles and bike stands!
I thought you had to be kidding until I found the actual link. I'm thinking Nova Scotia might want to take a tip from Montreal?
This is just like Velib, a bike system that they have in Paris and that I used. I think it's a great idea, but there would have to be many bike stations for it to be worthwhile. In Paris, I used this system to get around and there were bike stations near every metro. This meant that I could pretty much bike instead of taking the metro. I also like it because if it's after the metro is closed it is still easy to get around (better than buses and taxis).
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