More bikes needed to help Bixi survive, says bike union

Bixi bike stands are now a regular sight in the downtown core, but advocates say the number and size of the service area needs to expand if bike-sharing is to be the wild success it has become in cities such as Paris. (Rick Eglinton/Toronto Star file photo)

One month in, the Toronto Cyclists Union says the Bixi cycle-sharing program should triple the number of bikes and expand the current service area beyond the downtown core.

The number of rides has increased quickly. “In the first week there were 700 trips; by the last week of May there were 28,000 trips (per week),” said Jared Kolb, director of membership and outreach at the cycling advocacy group. Most of the demand comes from the edges of the service area, along Jarvis, Spadina and Bloor.

If the bikes can reach more people, then memberships will grow, he said.

In Bixi’s home city, Montreal, the program is popular, but could potentially cost taxpayers millions. The city’s auditor general recently released a report saying the program suffered from poor planning and administration, lack of accountability and an illegal profit-making structure. Jacques Bergeron said the program is running a $5 million to $6 million operating deficit and owes $37 million to the city. Toronto officials say this won’t affect Bixi here, since it is a separate corporation from Montreal.

The cyclists union is praising the 73,000 rides taken by users of Toronto’s fledgling program from its start on May 3rd through to June 19th. Toronto has 1,000 bikes on the road.

That translates to under two rides per day per bike — far lower than some other bike-share projects. But it’s still early days, and Kolb defends the number, saying May’s rains kept the numbers down.

He and Councillor Mike Layton argue that putting more Bixi bikes on the road and widening the service area will boost numbers.

Bike-sharing programs that are successful do seem to have many more bikes available than Toronto.

The Paris Vélib “freedom bike” program got 1.8 million rides in its first month in 2007, with about 10,000 bikes. That’s about six rides per day per bike.

The program hit the 100-million ride mark this month, after nearly four years in operation. There are between 80,000 and 120,000 rentals per day, with 20,000 bikes.

Closer to home, Montreal has close to 30,000 members and 18,000 rides per day on average. With its fleet of 5,000, that comes to about four rides per bike a day.

Bixi Toronto has 2,240 subscribers and 7,000 one-day users, said John Mende, the city’s director of transportation services. 6,000 members are needed to break even, he said.

“Bixi is limited for visitors to our city who want to visit neighbourhoods like Little Italy, Queen West and Liberty Village,” said Layton. He has received calls asking for an expansion to his area (Ward 19, Trinity-Spadina), which begins just where the Bixi region ends.

The cyclists union wants to go back to the bigger area the city had originally planned for Bixi, bounded by Dupont St. to the north, High Park to the west and Broadview Ave. to the east. Currently, the boundary is Bloor St. to the north, Spadina Ave. to the west and Jarvis St. to the east.

--Alyshah Hasham, Staff Reporter

Bike-sharing around the world

Hangzhou, China

50,000 bikes

2,050 stations

Started in 2009

Plans to have 175,000 bikes by 2020

Paris, France

20,000 bikes

1,800 stations

Between 80,000 to 120,000 rentals per day

Started in 2007

Achieved 100 million rides in June 2011

Toronto, Canada

1,000 bikes

80 stations

73,000 rides between May 3rd and June 19th

2240 subscribers, 7000 one-day users

Started in 2011

Montreal, Canada

5,050 bikes

405 stations

30,000 members

18,000 rides per day on average

Started in 2009

Earlier Comments on the story

Comments

[Andrew E]

Only in Montreal could a program like this cost taxpayers $37 million. The Cyclists' "union" (whatever that means... and will they go on strike?) should put their money where their mouth is and financially backstop Bixi in Toronto, if they are so convinced of it's viability. They could wind up rich.

[James MacNight]

Toronto is not compact like New-York, Montreal or Paris. Let's face reality, outside of Downtown, bike rides take too long. In Manhattan you can travel between the brooklyn bridge and New Jersey in 10 minutes, we are not Manhattan, instaed our geographical layout is similar to Detroit. Let's not waste our money. As an avid cyclist, I can ride for an hour, a bixi bike is most useful for a 15 minute leisurely ride, which in Toronto means staying in the Downtown core.

[jeff]

i think we should spend all available public money on building more roads to ease congestion. investing in anything other than roads and cars is foolish and will lead to increased congestion and commute times. i demand more roads. plus bicycles get in the way and increase congestion. i love cars. alot.

[Derek Cow]

Note: There's only about 725 bikes out there right now. So...it's closer to 3 rides/bike/day.

Also: James MacNight. You don't really get it. This is not a bike rental system. It's a bike sharing system. It's a bike-taxi.

Once Montreal expanded its system, the free time went up to 45 minutes. A bike ride from High Park to downtown. A bike ride from downtown to the Beach. And if your time runs out? You drop your bike off at a Bixi stand. Wait 2 minutes, pick up another one. NOt a big deal if you're going for a "leisurely ride".

[Michael Travaline]

What about China & France, are their programs self-sustaining or subsidized? Will this experiment end similar to the Food Cart episode? Before expanding let see if the program pays for itself in a very densely populated area like downtown before expanding. We should learn from Montreal. Debt ridden Toronto doesn't need another costly subsidized & possibly somewhat underutilized transportation system.

[MStevenK]

If they use unicycles they would have twice as many...Do the math!

[Pete]

Any business requiring tax dollars to operate, is a business doomed to failure. This is no different.

[Phil]

"i think we should spend all available public money on building more roads to ease congestion. investing in anything other than roads and cars is foolish and will lead to increased congestion and commute times. i demand more roads. plus bicycles get in the way and increase congestion. i love cars. alot."

Rob Ford, is that you?

[Nuno Aguiar]

do these people know that there are bikes at Canadian Tire for $99.99 that's right $99.99 at $5.00 for a Bixi rental the bike will pay for itself in 23 rentals.

[One Less Car.]

Yeah lets spend all our money on gas-guzzling air-choking objects of convenience.

Maybe we should instead invest in educating motorists about car sharing/car pooling and not driving in from the 905 one person per car. That will go an extremely long way in easing congestion.

Considering that it only takes 2 people to be considered "high occupancy" on the DVP is a sad state of affairs.

[Peter Clarke]

If this program cannot survive on 1,000 bikes it will never survive and putting additional bikes or widening services through tax dollars is not the answer.

This private corporation is 3,760 subscribers short to break even here in Toronto. In Montreal with 5,000 bikes it still cost the taxpayers annually $6 MILLION dollars and owes that city over $37 MILLION dollars after operating for more than 5 years.

Bixi in Toronto I predict shall also go broke and cost the taxpayers of Toronto Million of dollars because the program from the start was a political decision and poorly planned.

Torontonians better start demanding accountability and transparency of administration practices by this corporation which is backed by the taxpayers.

[Anna M]

To JamesMacNight. Yes you may love cars a lot. I guess you don't love the environment a lot. More cars means more pollution. Plus anyone who really wants to see a city as a tourist will want to walk or bicycle through it instead of zipping by everything interesting in a car.

[Joe]

I'm all for people using bikes (even though I think the Bixi pricing is a ripoff - just buy your own bike) The dumbest thing I have seen is a Bixi stand blocking a road lane on Peter, just south of Queen. Why would anyone put a bixi bike stand in the middle of the road is beyond me !

[Mark]

every morning I walk by 3 or 4 of these bixi stands.
Every morning, virtually every bike is still in their stands.
every evening I walk by the same 3 or 4 of these stands.
every evening, virtually every bike is still in their stands.
Great concept, But Toronto isn't bike friendly enough for people to drop their vehicles and consider mass use of bikes. Such a shame

[Kerry]

Further to Anna M's comment:
"To JamesMacNight. Yes you may love cars a lot. I guess you don't love the environment a lot. More cars means more pollution. Plus anyone who really wants to see a city as a tourist will want to walk or bicycle through it instead of zipping by everything interesting in a car."

...I would also point out that a tourist trying to drive around downtown Toronto is not going to be zipping by anything. Getting on a bike is a much MUCH nicer way to actually see Toronto. Not only will you get around faster then in a car, but you can park anywhere. Folks who drive cars in the city are suckers, frankly.

[Fenn]

I am hoping the comments posted at 2011-06-27 9AM is sarcastic. Bikes ease congestion, a bit of public funding isn't so rediculous. If you want to complain about wasted money and congestion. Then complain about removing a bike lane that was only put in 11 moths ago (at a cost of $60,000) which will cost minimum $80,000 to remove and will not actually add anything but a turning lane (on a street where turning is not allowed during rush hours).

[Lida From]

If Bixi expands to the High Park area I will definately rent a bike and ride downtown and then TTC home.
I don't ride my bike now because riding 7kms each way is too much and I currently do not have the option to leave my bike downtown. This program will only work when it is expanded to the rest of Toronto.

[selkie]

Actually, I love the idea of Bixi - and plan to sign up soon. I am an avid cyclist - and for the past 6 years have commuted at least half my work week (but not during the dead of winter) to work - 23 km each way - BUT, a serious cycling accident last year put me in a wheelchair for 5 months and I"m relearning to walk with a severely damaged leg. Bixis are a GREAT way for me to enjoy my passion, build up my leg and start getting in shape again. No way could I manage 23 km right now - but a few km from one place to another? PERFECT - it is meant for short distances - for 'commuting" short-term not long-term. I think it works and I believe it will.

[Skip]

This bike program needs to expand way further West. I live in Parkdale and if these bikes were available here I would be a member today. Parkdale is the perfect place as the demographics and these bikes would work together properly.

[Tanya]

"Any business requiring tax dollars to operate, is a business doomed to failure. This is no different."

By this logic we should get rid of the government!

[Thommango]

Bixi serves the same goals as ttc. Yet its capital costs are far less. And it eases the demand for bus routes, and helps relieve bus crowding. Therefore I wouldnt mind a subsidyfor bixi that is less than that of the ttc. I think it should be about 25 percent of ttc's capital and operating subsidies per user to reflect the seasonality and fact that some ttc users cannot ride.

[Skip]

For all the people thinking that if a business requires tax dollars it would be a failure. You need to take a breath of reality. Every single business requires the Government to pitch in one way or another. We even have the oil industry gaining tax credits to remain alive. How about the World banking system? The bike system should be funded 100% by government with the goal of achieving enough riders to pay for maintenance.

[Serge]

Would be nice to have these at all the subway stations. Especially during delays...