BIXI Toronto memberships have reached 500 as of September 1st! This is a reason to celebrate! Why? Despite news reports suggesting this is a "lukewarm response", we are still nine months before the launch date and 3 months before the requirement to get 1000 memberships. They've also made the threshold high by only selling yearly memberships - the monthly memberships would have allowed many more people to dip their toes in the water before diving in.
City Hall made it quite difficult for bikesharing to get off the ground: they're providing no money to get it started, and even to get a loan guarantee (which only allows BIXI to get a better interest rate from private banks) City Hall made a number of harsh requirements. BIXI Toronto has reached the half-way mark after only one month out of 4 months.
With a bit perspective we can see that this is in fact remarkable that BIXI Toronto already has 500 members and over 1300 fans on the Facebook page. It's clearly popular. What other company selling a product requires that people purchase the product a year before it comes out? Only Apple fans would be crazy enough to do that.
I doubt that government ever demanded the public to pre-purchase memberships when the Toronto subway was built, or require the public to pay upfront before the highways were built. Why do it with a service that is clearly popular worldwide? Why make it hard when cycling is such a cheap way to help solve our imminent crises of climate change, air pollution, obesity and so on?
Cycling has been marginalized for so long that the powers that be are willing to ignore all evidence: none of the "third-generation" bikesharing systems (those that use smart keys, electronic locking systems and computerized tracking) have folded or failed to get enough users.
I'm not sure what kind of number crunching went on at City Hall, but maybe they could have looked at other feasibility studies done out there (lower left sidebar under "Feasibility Studies") and a cost-benefit analysis done for Washington D.C. that shows that the long-term benefits of bikesharing far outweigh the costs - we're talking in the 100s of millions of dollars over 20 years. And given that City Hall is putting absolutely none of its own money into it, it will be all gain and no pain.
We may still reach the 1000 member requirement by November 31 and get our measly 1000 bikes. But I'll be mighty pissed if we get to 900 and they say no.
Comments
Darren_S
Market?
Fri, 09/03/2010 - 04:53I live in Scarborough. I imagine that Bixi would be very appealing to people who live in the burbs and travel downtown to do things, either work or errands. Hop on the subway, get off and get a bike. It seems ideal. I have seen zero mention of Bixi in my neighbourhood or at Vic Park Station.
RANTWICK
Not Crabby
Fri, 09/03/2010 - 12:32I'm usually kind of crabby about most bike initiatives, but bike share programs really appeal to me. I'm not the kind of traveller that brings along a bike... I think it would be sweet to arrive in a city with such easy availability for touring around a bit.
I really think that this is one of those things that people have doubts about but is a "If You Build It., They Will Come" kind of deal. Nice to hear some are even coming early!
jamesmallon (not verified)
No fault to Bixi
Sat, 09/04/2010 - 00:38No fault to Bixi, but the tiny coverage area limits the attractiveness of the scheme. That coverage is a tribute to Bixi, given the virtual abandonment of the project by the city ('Toronto: aim low and miss.'). I can walk across the coverage area in twenty minutes, making it not worth the trouble to join Bixi - never mind that I neither live nor work in the area, but 1km out on either side of it. This is symptomatic of all cycling policy in this town. The coverage should have started with the same north and south boundaries, and E/W boundaries of Parliament and Bathurst; extended to Dupont, and Ossington in short order. Mind you, this would require some responsibility or... imagination on the part of the city and its citizens.
J (not verified)
low hanging fruit
Sat, 09/04/2010 - 01:51I'd guess the first 500 were low hanging fruit that were easy to subscribe - the rest will be tough given the limitations of the program to begin with (small service area, lower number of bikes than launch in other cities, etc.).
junc-head (not verified)
UofT and Ryerson
Sat, 09/04/2010 - 13:01If BIXI can get even a tiny slice of the on-campus populations to buy in, it'll blow past the1000 subscriber mark like I blow past Beemers on Dupont in the afternoons. I can't wait for service to extend to the Junction. What a great addition to Toronto's extensive collection of self-contained communities and neighbourhoods.
PS 'Toronto: aim low and miss' actually made me laugh out loud. That should replace 'Yours To Discover' on 416 license plates.
Jacob L.
BIXI will be on Ryerson
Sat, 09/04/2010 - 14:29BIXI will be on Ryerson Campus for the next few weeks. I'm not sure about University of Toronto thought.
jamesmallon (not verified)
Bixi @ universities
Sat, 09/04/2010 - 18:38Hmmm... Bixi should have given a 25% discount to students to build the numbers, but then again, how many students can afford to live within the boundaries as they are, even if they study there.
The Clog (not verified)
I'm curious to know how many
Sat, 09/04/2010 - 22:44I'm curious to know how many memberships have been purchased by cycling enthusiasts, who already own a fleet of bicycles, to inflate demand artificially (must ...not. ...split ...infinitive!) to trigger the program's implementation?
"But I'll be mighty pissed if we get to 900 and they say no."
Ha ha, you have much to learn, young grasshopper. With pessimism will come detachment and serenity.
The Clog
herb
Dear Mr. Clog
Sun, 09/05/2010 - 00:15Oh yes, I do tend towards the pollyannaism. I have yet to learn.
I believe that only about 100 of those are cycling enthusiasts with a fleet of bikes, and most of those signed up at the July subscription launch. Though that would still be one in ten, but I can live with that. If city government is going to put strange demands, then who better to ensure we reach this goal while the rest of Toronto won't wake up to it until it's actually launched.
By the way, what took you so long Mr. Clog? I look forward to reading your blog as you ascend up to the heady heights of Toronto cycling blogs. From up here it's all downhill.
jamesmallon (not verified)
Don't split infinitives in
Sun, 09/05/2010 - 02:51Don't split infinitives in Latin; English is fine.
Kevin (not verified)
Splitting infinitives in English is bad
Mon, 09/06/2010 - 14:52I took a vow to never, ever split an infinitive.
Kevin Love
Seymore Bikes
Lost
Sun, 09/05/2010 - 12:10Toronto launched this initiative in a decidedly anemic capacity because it lacks both the vision to embrace environmental initiatives, and the stewardship to lead and manage this city responsibly.
Montreal launched its Bixi program with three times the number of bikes (3000) and called for another 2000 before the first season was over. By pathetic comparison, Toronto will launch with a mere 1000 bikes, but only on the condition of raising $600,000 in sponsorship and 1000 memberships.
The obligation to do the right thing in Toronto is evident, except that we seem to do so with such little support from Municipal Government that it leaves Toronto well behind other forward thinking cities like Seattle, New York, Minneapolis and Chicago (and numerous cities across Europe, Asia and Australia).
Toronto needs political leadership that has the fortitude to lead, until then we will rely entirely on the good will and endless support of a relatively small group of citizens who understand the difference between democratic paralysis and responsible leadership; without them we would truly be lost.
Spoke (not verified)
Be the change you want to see in this world . . .
Sun, 09/05/2010 - 07:53I bought a membership - and I have 2 bikes. Whether or not this is self-serving or not is a bit off-topic. I want the city to have better cycling infrastructure and so far this is the only place that I have found that I can spend my money to work towards that. I don't even live in the service area - though I expect to be part of the first expansion.
I think anybody who wants cycling to work in Toronto - needs to scrape together 30 cents per day to buy a membership - and ensure, that is this program fails, it wasn't because of the people who wanted it.
I love my city and I love my bike.
The Clog (not verified)
"If city government is going
Sun, 09/05/2010 - 17:52"If city government is going to put strange demands, then who better to ensure we reach this goal while the rest of Toronto won't wake up to it until it's actually launched."
Heh, true, very true. That said, I quake at the thought of the sleeping beauty that is The Rest of Toronto waking up to inexpensive bikes that require no maintenance or responsible use on the user's part. Witness the risking of limb and life on Centre Island when the Toronto populace gets it into their collective head to go ride a bike, and you'll grasp the profundity of what you're in for.
"By the way, what took you so long Mr. Clog?"
What took so long? My experience as a Toronto cyclist was a cluster of frustrations, Euro-envy, and naive activism until I read Christopher Hume's "Cycling in Toronto is a Joke," and suddenly everything made sense. I could suddenly perceive the Brahmanic thread of Stupidity woven into all things and felt compelled by delusions of prophetic status to reflect on what I saw.
Being a serial wise-ass doesn't hurt either...
The Clog
http://iclogto.blogspot.com
Seymore Bikes
Clog Jam
Mon, 09/06/2010 - 12:10OK Clog, care to explain why Toronto is any different from the many cities around the world that have already implemented programs like Bixi? I have spoken with people that have visited Paris as they remarked with great concern that the Velib bikes are being operated by people wearing high heel shoes and no helmet. But their perception seems to be where the danger ends, as there is no apparent increase in accidents involving bikes.
Not surprising, since research has shown repeatedly that as the number of bikes on the road increases, so does the level of safety.
I'm sorry that Christopher Hume has apparently validated your bleak outlook on making Toronto a better place for cycling. But do not despair, those that advocate for better cycling in Toronto aren't asking for charitable contributions, or some misappropriation of resources, we're just waiting for our Public Policy to catch up with the rest of the World; and in that regard there is little room for "wise-ass" thinking - so thanks for stepping aside.
Kevin (not verified)
Hume is not that bleak
Mon, 09/06/2010 - 15:00To quote from Hume's article, which may be found at:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/841929--hume-cycling-in-toronto-...
"Those who hope the whole cycling thing will disappear should know it’s here to stay. Twenty or 30 years from now, there will be as many bikes as cars on the streets of Toronto, if not more. It’s that simple."
In my opinion, it will not take 20-30 years. We'll be well over peak oil in 3-5 years. And if there is a revolution in Saudi Arabia tomorrow, that's all it takes.
jamesmallon (not verified)
Bixi and food carts
Sun, 09/19/2010 - 00:33Anyone noticed how much the poor implementation of Bixi is similar to the idiotic food cart programme. This city...!