SMDJ - Two cities prepped to take e-bike program for a spin

Burlingame, Millbrae set for new transit option, with focus on established parking locations

• Nicholas Mazzoni Daily Journal staff 
• 7 hrs ag

• A new electric bike sharing program is set to roll out in Burlingame, with Millbrae also looking to get in on the action.

  

  Emily Beach

  The program would have 200 electric bikes for transit commuters and in-city use and will be a joint collaboration with Millbrae, which will discuss the idea Oct. 11. Users will get discounts if they park the bikes in “preferred zones” that include existing bike racks, corrals and stencil-marked areas in locations around the cities. Locations can be adjusted if needed.

  Spin was chosen as the e-bike operator. The company proposed a hybrid system with preferred parking zones marked on the app. Spins’ bike racks will also support non-Spin users, according to a staff report.

  Burlingame Councilmember Emily Beach said she is excited to see the program come to fruition and that it will bring much-needed bike racks to new locations.

  The cities were each awarded a $200,000 San Mateo County Transportation Authority grant to implement a bicycle-sharing program. The total sum for the award equals $440,000, including a $20,000 match by each city. Burlingame and Millbrae will apply the funds toward the purchase of new bicycle racks and signs for preferred parking zones. The cities will also subsidize rides for new users and subsidize a portion of Spin’s cost to purchase e-bikes for the program, according to the report.

  Beach said that it would be a good idea to use some of the Transportation Authority funds to subsidize riders, incentivize parking in proper places and assist low-income riders with fees to benefit the program. The Transportation Authority allocates funds from the county’s half-cent sales tax dedicated to transportation needs.

  “If we do subsidize riders, I love the idea of helping [by] using subsidies for additional parking incentives to get the program started off right,” said Beach.

  The program is important because the county is hoping to implement a regional bike share program in the future, she said.

  “They are going to watch this collaboration between Burlingame and Millbrae very carefully for best practices,” said Beach.

  How it works

  To use a bike it is required that users are 18 years old or older, they will need to download the Spin App, scan the QR code, review the safety rules, ride to their destination and send a photo of the park e-bike at the end of the ride.

  Spin currently operates a scooter-sharing program in San Francisco and a bicycle-sharing program in Berkeley. Spin offers less expensive user fees than the other companies. Spin is proposing $1 to unlock and 42 cents per minute to ride. Spin also offers discount rates for monthly passes, student pricing and low-income users, according to the staff report.

  Spin spokesperson Phuong Bui said that the staff operates 24/7 and aims to respond to bikes parking improperly within two hours.

  The company is committed to hiring two local employees to manage the daily operations. Pay starts at $24.50 and includes benefits, according to the report.

  “We try to educate users before they end their trip, make sure they understand that they need to park it at a corral, we also have all of these suggestions in the app for where they can park,” said Bui.

  The city plans on a community outreach phase before launching to figure out the best locations for new bike racks that will be paid for using the Transportation Authority grant.

  Biu said she did a quick runthrough of downtown and located 24 areas where existing bike racks are located or there was enough space to create space while remaining compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

  For users who break the rules, first-time offenders will receive a warning, the second time a $10 fee, and third, a $25 fee and a 24-hour suspension including a review of the local rules and a quiz in which users are required to pass with a 90%. The fourth step is a ban, she added.

  While the violation system is one way to nudge users to park properly, Biu said that if there is a pattern of parking violations then the team will adjust and see if there is a need for another bike rack location that would be more feasible and user friendly. She suggested the company doesn’t want to discourage people from riding the bikes and will adjust based on user needs.

  It is in the best interest of the company to make sure the bikes are safe for the public to use and routine balancing maintenance will be performed, she said. Additionally, each bike is equipped with 55 sensors that will alert the maintenance team when there is an issue. At that point the bike locks until a maintenance person picks it up, she added.

  If the Millbrae City Council approves its participation, then a contract between the company and two cities will be signed, followed by identifying parking stations and locations and outreach to the community for additional spaces. The program is anticipated to launch five to six weeks after the contracts are signed.

  nick@smdailyjournal.com

  (650)344-5200 ext. 105

  Source: https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/two-cities-prepped-to-take-e-bike-program-for-a-spin/article_811d2fc4-493a-11ed-a4ed-a704854e8d57.html