D.C. Launches Bike-Sharing Program

by Elizabeth Press on August 22, 2008 | 9,384 Plays

Last week the first North American public bike-share program debuted in Washington D.C. With 120 bikes at 10 self-service racks, SmartBike DC officially launched. This week the Streetfilms team took it for a spin.

Here are some helpful facts about SmartBike DC:

  • To use this bike-share program you must become a member for an annual fee of $40 and have your membership card.
  • Locks & Helmets are not provided so bring your own.
  • Each trip has a 3 hour limit, but you can park at a station and take out another bike for no fee or penalty.
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10 Comments

  1. Gargamel Tralfaz August 22nd, 2008 at 9:36 am

    What a lovely bunch of people riding bikes.

  2. fafacious August 22nd, 2008 at 11:25 am

    Listen up NYC...launch big, ya hear? DC did it first, but we can do it bigger and better. Let's get on it...Bike Share for NYC!

    And one more thing, the Streetfilms crew sure did get hooked up with some sweet looking patriotic helmets for their ride in the nation's capital.

  3. Post Thumbnail
    Scott for npGREENWAY August 22nd, 2008 at 3:51 pm

    Very cool. Thanks for the reconnaissance mission, StreetFilms! I wish it was operational when I was their earlier this year. I guess I'll have to hold out until BikeSharing is available here in Portland.

    She made a comparison to Zipcar... Now if I could just get Zipcar to redistribute their cars around to different stations so I could make one way trips around town... THAT would be cool...

    Nice job DC.

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    Todd Edelman August 23rd, 2008 at 8:40 am

    Are these things located at transport hubs?

    Bring your own helmet and lock? Are you kidding? This is the equivalent of telling Zip car users to bring their own seatbelts or airbags, though of course I agree that helmets should not be mandatory.

    Regarding the 18 and over requirement, it seems like getting people at 15 would be a great way to get them out of the driver's seat before they get in it. C'mon lawyers, can't you arrange something?

    Also, wondering what Clear Channel is getting out of this... in particular any automobile advertisement opportunities.

  5. gwadzilla August 24th, 2008 at 9:54 pm

    I was going to try and say something clever
    but what I really wanted to say is

    go and look at my blog

    http://www.gwadzilla.blogspot.com

    a bicycle blog from washington dc

  6. Howard September 3rd, 2008 at 2:50 am

    Very cool! Though it may not, in fact, be the first of its kind, as my city, Fort Collins, Colorado, started up their own Bike Library in April, and has 81 bikes available for FREE! ... http://www.fcbikelibrary.org/

  7. Jason C September 6th, 2008 at 11:00 am

    Bike sharing programs have been around for a while. Nice to see it in D.C. As a cyclist AND an e-biker (yes I feel we have the same goals.....really), what I noticed was (possibly) the e-bike in the background while Alice Kelly was speaking.

  8. Brandon September 6th, 2008 at 10:43 pm

    What a great idea, I hope this catches on!
    Angela

  9. Geoff September 19th, 2008 at 5:06 pm

    This more like bike hire than bike sharing

  10. Steve September 19th, 2008 at 5:08 pm

    Do they have any tandems available ?

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