BikingToronto: Toronto Starts Looking at BikeSharing Options<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.blogger.com/static/v1/common/js/1499043574-csitaillib.js"></script> <script>if (typeof(window.attachCsiOnload) != 'undefined' && window.attachCsiOnload != null) { window.attachCsiOnload('ext

Toronto Starts Looking at BikeSharing Options

posted by Joe on Thursday, April 23, 2009

The City of Toronto has just posted a REOI (Request for Expressions of Interest) for a "Public Bicycles Project"... they are trying to gauge interest from companies for setting up a BikeSharing program (following the lead of Paris, Montreal, D.C., etc.):

The purpose of this REOI is to pre-qualify Respondents capable of offering a Public Bicycle System that provides a fleet of bicycles, conveniently located throughout the city at secure, automated self-serve parking stations for a subsequent Request for Proposals (RFP) process. The Public Bicycle System being considered in this REOI shall not include any advertising in the public right-of-way.

There's a ton of information in the REOI about what the city wants... so I encourage you to read it for yourself... but I did like seeing that the City wants a program to start with 3,000 bikes in the central part of the city (from Dupont in the north to the lake in the south, from High Park in the west to Broadview in the east).

Scope of Work The Vendor shall:
- Finance the provision and operation of the program, at no net cost to the City
- Install, operate and maintain the Public Bicycles and the bicycle parking stations
- Recommend locations for the bicycle parking stations
- Promote the Public Bicycles Program within Toronto
- Manage customer information, education and safety
- Manage financial systems
- Share surplus benefits arising from the operation of the scheme with the City.

In its part the City of Toronto will:
- Licence the Vendor to install, operate and maintain the Public Bicycle program
- Grant advertising rights to the Vendor o Licence the Vendor to occupy space on City of Toronto property for the operation of the Public Bicycle System.
- Approve the locations, circulate to utilities, prepare drawings
- Retain ownership of the Public Bicycle System, including the bicycles, bicycle parking stations, and any related supporting software and hardware.