Southwest - Free Bike Sharing program comes to Mesa, AZ

On Monday, Humana Healthcare is set to launch their Freewheelin’ Bike Sharing Program at the Mesa Guidance Center which is located on the Southwest corner of Recker and McKellips in Northeast Mesa. The program is free to anyone 18+ with two requirements. Helmets are required, and provided for free if necessary. Also, you must attend a 1 hour Safety Info Session. Yours truly will be leading the Safety Info Session as well as conducting a Confidence Ride Course in addition to leading group rides from 2.5 to 10 miles long. Here’s the press release from Humana:


Please join us for a special event celebrating Humana’s launch of Freewheelin, a free community bike-sharing program. Representatives from Humana and the city of Mesa will make brief remarks and then take an inaugural ride. Members of the community are encouraged to join the group ride on a Freewheelin bike or one of their own. *The 20 Freewheelin bikes are first come, first served. Come and enjoy the refreshments and fun Freewheelin gear.

Located at Humana’s Guidance Center, Freewheelin is a program offering anyone 18 or over a free bike ride. The Guidance Center will supply a free helmet and offer group rides led by a bicycle expert. To participate, users need to bring an id and credit card and attend a bicycle safety information session.

We look forward to seeing you at this community event.

Event Details:
Monday, October 26
10:30am
Humana Guidance Center
5943 E. McKellips Rd. Ste 106
Mesa, AZ 85215

How does this thing work normally? I am guessing there is no bus service there?

I don't get this. It's on the far northeast edge of town. The downtown area is where a program like this might be useful, but that's several miles away. I'm just not sure what the point is. And who will attend an event at 10:30 on a Monday morning? No students, no working folks.

There's nothing on the city's web site about this. It sounds like yet another hare-brained idea by the Mesa government which has almost no connection to reality. It doesn't look like they've made any attempt to involve the East Valley biking clubs in this... I don't see any mention of this anywhere at all.

Melman (a confused Mesa resident)

There certainly is bus service in that part of town. The LINK goes through there and there may be local service as well. Check Valley Metro's website.

This is a program owned, operated and financed entirely by Humana Healthcare. They have a community Guidance Center there and that was the reasoning for the location.

There is a heavy concentration of elderly in the area and I believe that is the target market, though anyone 18+ can use the service. Bikes are available for checkout and use between 8am & 5pm weekdays.

-Tom

There certainly is bus service in that part of town.


There is a heavy concentration of elderly in the area and I believe that is the target market, though anyone 18+ can use the service. Bikes are available for checkout and use between 8am & 5pm weekdays.

-Tom

No local service and express buss is about 2 miles away.
It is a community based bicycle share program which is great. (I will mark that down on my tour notes)

So do you need a credit card, one hour info session, and a ID to rent the bike. This is my confusion.

Yes, a credit card must be put on file in the event the bike is damaged or not returned.

The one hour safety info session is mandatory for those that would like to use a bicycle.

A government issued ID is also required.

The program is completely free.

-Tom

so how did it go?
news article.
http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS135866+26-Oct-2009+BW20091026