alicestrong

It will be interesting to see how this works out...

A Newport Beach foundation will become the first to offer “European style” bike-sharing in Orange County, allowing users to grab a bike at one bike station and leave it at another.

The program, meant to cut greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming, begins with plenty of fanfare this weekend, with events scheduled in Newport Friday through Monday.

“We’re trying to work with different communities to reduce the carbon footprint and traffic issues,” said Alan Brandenburger, founder of the non-profit Brandenburger Foundation. “It’s a green community, kind of forward thinking on the environment, and that is what it’s all about.”

The foundation is partnering with the Bixi Bike System, which has set up a similar system in Montreal, Canada .
”There are no bike-sharing programs of this caliber in the U.S.” he said.

The foundation hopes eventually to set up many bike stations around Newport, with the mobile kiosks holding seven bikes each. One demonstration station will be setup this weekend.

Users must run a credit card through a card reader to pay fees, although 30 minute rides are free. After that, fees range from $1.50 for the second 30 minutes to $6 for the fourth 30-minute period and each 30-minute period beyond that. The price increases to encourage people to use the bikes only for short increments of time.

They can also purchase 24-hour access for $5, a 30-day subscription for $28, and a 1-year subscription for $120. Memberships will be available on the program’s web site.

The bikes are automatically locked when the front wheel is placed in a dock at the bike station. Punching in a code triggers a green light and releases the bike.

The foundation will hold events to introduce the bikes at Newport Beach City Hall on Friday, Balboa Pier on Saturday, Newport Pier on Sunday and the Orange County Transportation Authority bus depot at Fashion Island on Monday morning, then at Newport Elementary School in the afternoon.

“It can really change a city, the way its transportation flows,” Brandenburger said. “It’s amazing.”

(Photos courtesy of Alan Brandenburger.)

Rumpled

I'd bet that'll tick off the Bal Pier rental companies that charge much more from the tourists.
NB a green city, my posterior.

Neccros

Newport being green = $$$$$

cjbruin

Geez. Give NB a little credit for taking a step in the right direction. Now if they could only fight off the "bird people lobby" and close the back bay to vehicles.

Edit: I mean MOTOR vehicles

redal

There was talk of starting something like this in Long Beach. I'm not sure if it got off the ground.

alicestrong

Does anyone have any more info about the events going on around the opening?

lowlife1975

i'm a bit skeptical about how successful this program will be... outside of the handful of people that just want a bike to ride up and down the beach every now and then, most people who do any kind of riding, already own something with two wheels. sounds like this foundation is a non prof b/c as a for profit idea, i definitely don't think it would work. a zip car on two wheels knock off... no way.

but nevertheless, it will be interesting to see how it unfolds... and i am for any measure that promotes bike riding in any capacity.

surfrider

It MIGHT work in the Balboa Pier/Newport Pier/NB City Hall area. Problem might be that those rental locations are on the touristy areas of the Balboa Penninsula, where lots of people simply drive down from inland areas for a day at the beach, and I wouldn't think a lot of residents would use the service unless it was a lot closer to their personal doorstep. There's already a shop renting cruiser bikes not far from City Hall (in the Albertsons grocery store shopping center) that already does a pretty good business in daily rentals.

Newport Center/Fashion Island? That's not going to work. That's a high end shopping center surrounded by high-end offices (think law offices and medical offices). Anyone who goes there drives there.

I know nearby UC Irvine tried something like this 10 years ago, but the bikes were not maintained and some were stolen.

alicestrong

This maybe?

merckx_rider

I don't think this will be competition for the rentals. This seems to be more for commuters and park and riders than the tourists.