Halifax bike share system: extending the “reach” of pedestrians

This document gives insight how to approach a bike share project as a city. Some elements: Multiple operating structures exist, such as: Non-profit, Privately owned and operated, direct contract with operator, transit owned and operated, administrative non-profit with private operator. For the purposes of this pre-feasibility analysis, a non-profit operating structure was chosen due to the frequency at which it has been used for other bike share systems throughout North America. A non-profit would be formed to manage and operate the bike share system. The organization would be responsible for procuring funding, equipment, defining system guidelines, launching the system, and providing expertise for operations.There are a number of general start-up costs. Capital and installation costs associated with the creation of a bicycle share system include equipment purchases, site planning, installation and deployment costs. Annual operating costs after system launch are also included. These costs include salaries, equipment maintenance and replacement, rebalancing equipment, system software upkeep. Read on here.

The Bike-Share Planning Guide from ITDP

Bike-share has taken many forms over the course of its development, from free bikes left for a community to use at will to more technologically advanced and secure systems. In every iteration, the essence of bike-share remains simple: anyone can pick up a bike in one place and return it to another, making point-to-point, human- powered transportation feasible. Today, more than 600 cities around the globe have their own bike-share systems, and more programs are starting every year. The largest systems are in China, in cities such as Hangzhou and Shanghai. In Paris, London, and Washington, D.C., highly successful systems have helped to promote cycling as a viable and valued transport option.  Each city has made bike-share its own, adapting it to the local context, including the city’s density, topography, weather, infrastructure, and culture. Although other cities’ examples can serve as useful guides, there is no single model of bike-share. Read more here.