bikesharing

Bikesharing is a system that provides bicycles for short-term use by the general public. Users unlock a bicycle using a smart card, mobile app, or code, and are charged per trip or via a time-based membership. Most schemes offer bikes from docking stations or through dockless options that can be left anywhere within a service area.

There are two main models: station-based (dock-based) and dockless (free-floating). In station-based schemes, bikes are picked up and returned to fixed docking points at kiosks or racks. In dockless schemes, bikes lack fixed docks and are identified and unlocked through an app, allowing users to park in permissible public spaces, though fleets are often constrained by local regulations.

Origins go back to the 1960s with experimental "white bicycles" in Amsterdam. The modern era began in the 2000s with Paris Velib' (2007) and London's Santander Cycles (2010). A rapid expansion of dockless bikes in the mid-2010s, led by companies in Asia, spread to many cities, prompting pilots, regulations, and eventually hybrid systems.

Bikesharing supports urban mobility, provides a low-cost alternative to car transport, can reduce short car trips and emissions, and complements transit networks. It can improve access in dense urban areas and encourage healthier travel, though effects depend on network size, proximity, and price.

Operational challenges include maintaining bikes, vandalism, theft, and mechanical failures; supply-demand balancing; parking clutter; safety; rider training; weather. Regulation, data privacy, and funding models are important considerations, as are equity concerns and ensuring access for underserved groups.

Today, many cities operate programs with evolving governance, shifting between docked, dockless, or hybrid approaches, with emphasis on safety, maintenance, and integration with public transit.