Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next?

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Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next?

World Streets

New Mobility Partnerships www.newmobility.orgWorld Streets The voice of sustainable transportationEurope: 8/10 rue Joseph Bara, 75006 Paris, France.USA: 9440 Readcrest Dr. Los Angeles, CA 90210

Eric Britton , EMBARQ, Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009
http://www.newmobility.org/http://www.worldstreets.org/http://www.worldstreets.org/http://www.newmobility.org/


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New Mobility Partnerships

Authors introduction

This presentation was made to a strategy session organized by theEMBARQ program of the World Resources Institute that took place inCuernavaca Mexico on 2 July 2009. I was asked specifically to reporton the role that public or shared bike systems might eventually play inLatin American cities. There has been considerable interest shown by

politicians, some planners and transporters, public interest groups(mainly cyclists of course) and the media across the region over the lastyear or so. But how to move ahead with a concept which until now has

been largely successful in European cities, under circumstances on theground that differ considerably in most cases. This presentationrepresents my attempt to plant a few seeds.

Eric Britton

New Mobility Partnerships and World StreetsParis, 2 July 2009

Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 2

Author checking his hot air

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009


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In brief:

2. Why bikes in cities?

3. And public bikes?

4. Short history of PBS time line

5. Shared bikes today Worldwide, and by region6. Planning and decision checklists

7. Criteria for success

8. Alternative approaches

9. Reinventing the public bike for LA cities10. Now what?

Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 3Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009

Pointing the way


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Challenges of transport in cities? (And whatever are those?)

EMBARQ, Cuernavaca, 2/07/09 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 4


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Bikes are important, because they offer . . .

High quality, no-wait O/D transportEconomical for usersLost cost to public sector

Excellent environmental impactsTakes pressure off the transit systemPublic health benefitsIncrease city amenity and neighborly behavior

Because they are democraticBecause they simulate new thinking & inspire new approachesAnd because they are cool



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Whats a Public Bike?

Day to day city transportation by shared (public) bicyclesOpen to all registered users/clients.Bikes located in on-street stations (i.e., not garaged)

Pick up/drop off at multiple locations within service areaFully automated check-out/check-in serviceAvailable 24/7.Free or almost free for very short periods

Implementable with many different variantsIt is, in fact, a true form of automobility.



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The Public Bike Tsunami: Some highpoints, 1966 - 2009


1966 Amsterdam White Bikes (Netherlands)1973 La Rochelle Vlos Jaunes (France)1996 Copenhagen Bycyklen (Denmark)1998 Rennes Vlo la Carte (France)

2002 DB Berlin Call-a-Bike (Germany)2003 Citybike Wien Vienna (Austria)2004 Dutch Rail OV-fiets (Netherlands)8 Lyon Vlov (France)2005 Chivasso Bicincitt (Italy)

2007 Paris Vlib (France)11 Barcelona (Spain)12 Seville SEVici (Spain)13 Montreal BiXi (Canada)


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A genuine new urban transport mode


Very quickly, we have moved from being a curiosity to a genuine newurban transport mode. We invented the public/individual transport system.

- Gilles Vesco, Vice-president, Grand Lyon,on his citys experience with Vlov


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World Wide Bikesharing The big picture, July 2009


Source: MetroBike/GoogleGreen = go. And ? = ?


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Bike-sharing in Europe


Source: MetroBike/Google

The original Bikeshare projectWhite Bikes, Amsterdam, 1967

Edited copy of Paul's PBS map


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Bike-sharing in North America


Source: MetroBike/GoogleLook at all those question marks.


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Bike-sharing in Latin America


Source: MetroBike/Google

Edited copy of Paul's PBS map


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Bicycle modal share in selected European cities


Source: Cycling in the Netherlands 2009

Protected cycling


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City cycling trends International comparisons


Source: Cycling in the Netherlands 2009

Cycling as daily transport for all


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Common Public Bike Features


Add a new dimension to urban mobilityExtend and complete range of public transport servicesIntegrate the options into a seamless multimodal packageAvailable on-demandFor city-length journeys.


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Multiple advantages and benefits


Provide cost-effective on-demand transportationHuge environmental and public benefitsReach out to destinations un- or under-served by other transit modesRequire less infrastructure than other modes of transportationInexpensive to produce and maintainDo not add to traffic congestionDo not create pollution in their operationImprove cycling safety by increasing number of cyclists on the street

Cut back on theft of personal bicyclesProvide users with the added benefit of healthy exercise.


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The bottom line for your city


City Bikes work! Get the planning right and your project is going to be a success.

Low cost: Your City Bike project is not going to gut your transport budget.

Fast on line: Planning and implementation time for a large city may range from one to two years,max. For well prepared smaller cities considerably less.

High synergies: Good project will provide strong synergies with your public transport and trafficcontrol /restraint programs.

Revitalizing the center: Remember what excessive dependence on cars did to your central citythe last time? Well, city bikes provide a means for restoring the center.

Lots of ways of doing it: We strongly recommend you have a close look at all availablechoices.

Partners : Numerous viable partners with whom you can work to ensure your projects success


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A public bike? But its not just one more pretty bike project.


Significant public transport project in its own right.A roads and infrastructure project of some dimensions.A city center economic development/revival project.

A social project that works to tie people together in soft waysA public health project in a time of need.A climate project for your city that can make a difference.A nudge to changing the minds of planners, the public &the media

A 21st

century exercise in deep democracy & active citizenry.This is the true nature, scale and range of your public bike project.And this is your opportunity. But are you really ready for it?

Rather its a . . .


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Not just one more pretty bike project. Rather its a . . .


Comprehensive, integrated, complex physical/logistics system


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Not just one more pretty bike project. Rather its a . . .


Complex, ubiquitous, social system that knits people together


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What kind of shared bike project for you?


Full-scale Paris , Barcelona , Lyon, Seville style city bike project?(Operational services with thousands of bikes blanketing the city)

Comprehensive small city system: ex. Orleans , Dijon , Brescia ?(Hundreds of bikes with good area coverage)

Transit node service: Berlin , Frankfurt,?(Hundreds of bikes focusing on main transit/rail nodes)

City learner system such as Brussels , Washington DC ?(Characteristically hundred or so bikes serving a limited zone)

Tourist/Visitor service: More than 50, from N. to S. of Europe?(Small fleets of bikes to encourage tourist movements during their visit)

Campus shared bike project ?(As many as several hundreds of bikes serving a specific area/group)

* Each of these are radically different in just about all keyrespects. Our main focus here today is on full scale city bike

projects.
http://www.velib.paris.fr/http://www.bicing.com/home/home.phphttp://www.velov.grandlyon.com/http://www.sevici.es/https://www.agglo-veloplus.fr/http://www.velodi.net/hhttp://www.bicincitta.com/citta_v3.asp?id=21http://www.bahn.de/regional/view/berlin_brbg/bahnregional/services/call_a_bike_berlin.shtmlhttp://www.cyclocity.be/https://www.smartbikedc.com/default.asphttps://www.smartbikedc.com/default.asphttp://www.cyclocity.be/http://www.bahn.de/regional/view/berlin_brbg/bahnregional/services/call_a_bike_berlin.shtmlhttp://www.bicincitta.com/citta_v3.asp?id=21http://www.velodi.net/hhttps://www.agglo-veloplus.fr/http://www.sevici.es/http://www.velov.grandlyon.com/http://www.bicing.com/home/home.phphttp://www.velib.paris.fr/


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Confirming the role of cycling, walking & public space


After decades of neglectReaching beyond the boundaries of longentrenched car-based transport planning andinvestment approaches

Opening up new questions and new possibilities in a high profile manner Changing the public & political discourseEngaging citizens of all ages & social classesDrawing in the media in new waysTransforming the city and daily lives


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For public bike project success, ask yourself . . .


o Is your citys topography adapted to bike use?o What about the weather?o Is necessary (critical!) supporting infrastructure in place?o Extent, density and quality of public transit coverage?o Land use/Activity mix/ Are there places to go in service area?o Is your city government 100% behind this project?o Do they fully appreciate the full dimensions of the challenge?o Is it understood that this is a full-scale public transportation project . . . and

(not just one more nice bike project )o Vandalism? Bike thefts? Public attitudes to public facilities ?o

And what about . . . street maintenance levels, police support, driver attitudesand training, public attitudes to cycling/cyclists . . .

o Degree of citys continuing commitment to sustainable development?

Checking in for the 1 st time


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More challenges/criteria for success


Job creation and skills development opportunities? Road maintenance? Vandalism/bike thefts, public attitudes to public facilities? Commitment to, capacity for law enforcement? Driver attitudes and skill levels What about that on-street outdoor advertising? Are we up to the deep communications, negotiation challenges? Cycle clubs, environmental and support groups?

Capacity for working with public/private partnerships? So, whats our business plan? Now, where do we go next?


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Alternatives to a full scale city bike project


Are we too small for a city-wide PBS?

Is it too early for us to face the full challenges involved.

What about a project aimed at tourists and visitors, as opposed to a

more ambitious public transport project ?

Campus shared bike projects?

Strategies for demo or pilot projects?

Can these serve as starter projects

Growing your small project.

Shared bikes at St. Xavier Univ. in Chicago


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Some closing thoughts

Safe cycling provision. Are you really up for it in your city? Caveat : Injuries and deaths of cyclists are the direct

accountability of the city authority!!!

What about a Street Code for your city? Business model? (Remember this is a new field) Financing strategies? (Lots of options there) Identify and work with all qualified suppliers Supplier/partner selection Phased negotiation with your new partner

Contractual sticks but dont forget the carrots Planning for the long term Getting time on your side Next stage expansion strategies


It takes a bit of work to get there


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My best suggestions for PBS development in Latin America.


1. Every city in region should be encouraged/helped to carry outa careful (public) bicycle survey?

Such a survey, well done, will lead to many new visions and ideasIn most cases, will show city not (yet) ready for PBS, butWill yield many valuable clues for new sustainable transition policies

oWould help greatly to have some good templatesDetailed guidelines to assist the city teams in doing this well

+ access to supporting information and counsel via the web

o Expert workshops could be very useful:First and ASAP in a cycle of major LA cities with high visibilityThen possibly as national workshops

Bring in international experts with hands-n experienceWelcome supplier participation

o What kind of support to pioneering cities?o Where to start? We need some strong examples in the region?o When to start? Why, this morning, of course.


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What will the first great Latin America PBS look like?.


1. NOT like the mainline European examples2. And Not like what we are seeing in the US3. Will be tailored to the realities and priorities of Latin American cities4. Will strategically substitute people for technology (surprise)

5. Will combine job creation and training, aiming to create employment andsocial integration possibilities for the young

6. Will be planned in deeply democratic, highly strategic, wide open manner Bring in as active players full range of all public groups and interests in city and regionWill specially target , try to integrate all groups/interests that a priori are againstWill invite all potential suppliers to join discussions from the beginning

Will bring on board international participants with hands-on experienceo Will be a matter of enormous pride of the city as a wholeo Will bring the media on board from the beginningo And be 100% ready to roll on Day 1.


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Why one citizen likes his public bikeBecause they accomplish an important job for allAnd they are fair (democratic, classless transportation)

Because they are nimble and fast

And there when/where you need them (or almost always)

Because they are free (almost always)

And let you chose where and how

They offer a nice little workout for the sedentary city dweller They make you more aware of the weather (i.e., life)

Certainly the best way to see your city

They are social, invite eye to eye contact

People often help out each other at stations

Small mutual compromises with pedestrians and motorists

The slight question of uncertainty (available bike, parking slot)

Because you can ways find a work-around for it.

They make you smart (because you have to keep thinking)

The provide potentially good transition jobs for young people

And when you are on a bike in the city, you belongPublic Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 29Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009

A typical Parisian transferringfrom shared-Metro to shared-bike


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Europe: The Commons, EcoPlan International8/10 rue Joseph Bara 75006 Paris, France+ 331.4326.1323 [email protected]

Skype : ericbritton SightSpeed.com: ericbritton

North America: New Mobility Partnerships9440 Readcrest Dr. Los Angeles CA 90210+1 310 601-8468 [email protected] . Skype: newmobility SightSpeed.com: newmobility

Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next?30

Pointing the way to New Mobility

New Mobility Partnerships: 2009 - 2012

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009

World Streets The sustainable transport dailyInsights and discussion points from leading thinkers and practitionersaround the world. Pick it up this morning at http://www.worldstreets.org

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Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next?

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