DC: Agencies launch Bikeshare program

[phantom power]

Federal employees in the Washington area now have the option to share bicycles for their daily commute, thanks to a new Bikeshare program.

Officials from the Office of Personnel Management, General Services Administration and Transportation Department on Monday announced a partnership with the District Department of Transportation to provide federal workers with memberships to Capital Bikeshare. The program gives users access to 1,000 bikes at 100 stations in Washington and Northern Virginia.

"We're viewing it as its own stand-alone transit system, like a Circulator bus or streetcar," said Gabe Klein, director of DDOT. "It's the ultimate in point-to-point transportation sharing. .... The federal government is one of the primary users of the transit system coming in and out of the district."

Capital Bikeshare already has launched in 40 stations and plans to roll out the remaining locations during the coming weeks, according to Klein. For the general public, memberships are available online for a one-time annual fee of $50, which includes 30 minutes of free use each time a bike is checked out. Riders will be charged additional fees on top of the $50 for every half hour of use after the first 30 minutes. For example, riders are charged $1.50 extra for an additional 30 to 60 minutes; $3.00 extra for 61 to 90 minutes and $6.00 for every 30-minute block of time after that. After 24 hours, riders are charged a $1,000 stolen bike fee. To avoid the extra fees, riders can trade in their bike for a new one at a Bikeshare station before the first 30 minutes expire.

http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=46258&oref=todaysnews

[pscot]

1. Good idea: stupid implementation

Free bicycles for all.

[independent_voter]

2. or you could just buy a huffy at wal mart for 80 bucks

and be done with it

no questions asked

lifetime membership - 80 bucks

additional fees - none

stolen bike cost - 80 bucks