The Factors that Determine the Success or Failure of Bike Sharing Programs

In recent years, many cities have embraced bike sharing as a sustainable and cost-effective means of transportation. However, implementing a successful bike sharing scheme requires careful planning and consideration. Here's a guide to some key factors that contribute to the success of bike sharing schemes.

Firstly, the registration system should be simple and accessible, avoiding online subscriptions as a potential barrier to users. A card or app technology is common, allowing the use of pre-existing credit or student cards.

The organization model for bike sharing schemes is best suited to a public-private partnership, according to Sander Buningh, a bike sharing expert. Local bike shops or technical schools can be tasked with repairs to incorporate the community and reduce maintenance costs, which can be up to seven times more than the initial investment.

Integrating bike sharing schemes within a city's public transport tickets increases their usability. Cities should determine the right size scale of the bike sharing scheme, identify the most popular destinations for stations, and obtain permits for parking the bikes, which may require coordination across decentralized boroughs.

Successful bike sharing schemes require five elements to be right: organization, software, hardware, business plan, and marketing, states another bike sharing expert, Sander Buningh. A catchy name and slogan can assist in promoting the scheme, and the support of prominent politicians can help raise its profile.

The IT system for bike sharing schemes includes registration, payment, and customer assistance. Returning bikes to different stations each night can undermine the green image of bike sharing and require income. Paris offers extra minutes on accounts for cycling to more remote stations to combat this.

Marketing is a neglected but crucial part of bike sharing schemes. Strong campaigns can increase publicity and uptake. Cities should target different groups (tourists, residents, employees, students, and commuters) differently for marketing purposes. The VeloCitta target group factsheet outlines which messages and mediums should be used for each.

Bike sharing expert Mario Gualdi warns that bike sharing is a powerful tool to popularize cycling but dangerous if done poorly. Cities should aim for bikes with robust, customized parts and uniformed branding to reduce incidents of theft and vandalism.

Cities such as Paris, Lyon (France), and various German cities including Berlin and smaller towns have implemented successful and financially viable bike-sharing systems in recent years. These systems have integrated electric bikes and scooters to enhance mobility and sustainability. Buningh recommends that tenders for bike sharing schemes should have clear goals, direct oversight by the city, maintenance and redistribution requirements, and penalties for non-compliance.

Lastly, cities should view bike sharing schemes as a form of public transport good that they are willing to subsidize, as they often run at a loss. Additional funds can be brought in through sponsorship, advertising, and deals with local businesses. A useful guide to the different types of hardware can be found in the OBIS handbook under 'Physical Design'. The success of a bike sharing scheme depends on how well it is planned and how able you are to monitor what's being done, according to Mario Gualdi.