Formerly called Freewheelin Founded 2010 | Type Privately held Area served United States & Chile | |
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Headquarters Waterloo, Wisconsin,
United States Number of locations 37 systems in 30 cities | ||
B-cycle is a public bicycle sharing company formed in partnership between Trek Bicycle Corporation, Humana, and Crispin Porter + Bogusky and is based in Waterloo, Wisconsin, United States. It has 37 local systems operating in cities across the United States, as well as one in Santiago, Chile. However, in several cities it operates under a name other than B-cycle (i.e., CAT Bike, Red Bike, GREENbike, etc.)
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Description
The B-cycle system consists of bicycles and solar-powered stations positioned throughout a city or region. The result is a slight variation in the system, depending on the city of operation. Such variations can include differences in pricing and operating under a name other than B-cycle. Notwithstanding, even though they may operate under different names, their stations will still include the "B in a circle" logo (but perhaps with a different color outer circle). Variations are also affected by the primary sponsors of the local system.
Users of the system can purchase annual memberships or just a day or week pass. The system is intended for short trips rather than using an automobile or bike rentals. They can then check out and return bikes at any station in their city. Depending on the local system and type of membership or pass, users can keep the bicycles for 30-60 minutes without any additional charge for an unlimited number of times. Bicycles can be used longer for a nominal hourly assessment. However, if a bicycle is returned to any station, it can usually be immediately checked back out for an additional 30-60 free minutes. Another variation is dates and hours of operations. Some systems do not operate at night and some do not operate during the winter months. Notwithstanding the variations, annual memberships are recognized in most B-cycle cities in a reciprocity program called "B-connected." The cost of annual memberships vary from US$50 to US$80.
The bicycles used by B-cycle were designed specifically for bike sharing.
History
In 2007, the founding partners of B-cycle, Trek Bicycle Corporation and Humana, began their bike sharing venture with the nation’s largest ever temporary bike sharing program culminating at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado. Called Freewheelin, this program made 1,000 bikes available to the delegates at both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. The programs proved so successful that the Democratic host committee selected bike sharing as a special legacy program to receive a donation to launch the country’s first smart bike sharing system. Following the Democratic National Convention, Trek Bicycle Corporation, Humana and advertising agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky formed B-cycle, LLC. to develop a technologically and visually appealing bike share system. The joint venture worked with the non-profit created to operate the system, Denver Bike Sharing, to launch the initial 500 bike and 40 station Denver B-cycle in Denver on Earth Day, April 22, 2010.
Locations
As of April 2015, B-cycle has bicycle sharing systems in the following areas: