[Wed, Aug 13 2008] Washington DC opening
Washington D.C. can proudly call itself the first city in the United States to implement a fully automatic bike sharing program: SmartBikeDC!
On August 13th, Washington DC could finally join European cities on the world bike map as the first Northern American city to implement a fully automatic bike sharing system.
From this day onwards, subscribers to SmartBike DC have access to a fleet of 100 bright-red three-speed bikes, kept in 10 bike stations throughout the downtown area. Although the system is small compared to the size of the city, it is a good start and a step in the right direction of reducing pollution and fighting traffic-clogged streets. "We hope to expand once we get phase one off the ground and evaluated," said Jim Sebastian, bicycle and pedestrian program manager with the District's Department of Transportation.
Mayor Adrian M. Fenty was invited to formally open the SmartBikeDC system. "People are familiar with car-sharing -- Zipcar and Flexcar. Now, we have bike-sharing". Like those car-sharing programs, SmartBike is targeting city residents and commuters, not tourists. "It's really going to be replacing cab rides and car trips for a lot of folks looking to get around the city quickly," said Jim Sebastian. "Plus they won't have to worry about parking. And it's fun. It's a great way to get around the city on a nice day."
Many of the SmartBike stations are near bus and rail stops, allowing workers to take the subway downtown and then use the bikes to get around. An online map shows the location of each storage rack, the number of available bikes and the number of open slots for returns.
"This will get people out of their cars," said Fenty, an avid cyclist who frequently trains with a local racing team. "It is good for themselves and the environment."
To read more about SmartBikeDC, click here
