We support the development of bike sharing systems, so they can meet the local needs and demand, as well as be adequately designed.
Bike sharing is the so-called “city bike” system, which is a transport service that makes a specific fleet of bikes available to residents for short-term use as a shared mode – on preferential terms for users in the public model (subsidized by the city) or at the initiative of a private operator, then on commercial terms.
Many popular bike sharing systems allow users to rent bikes from a “station” and return it to a different docking station belonging to the same system. Systems in the so-called free-floating model are also developing, in which the bike can be rented and returned at any location within the designated area (rental zone). No physical docking stations are then required as all the technology enabling the rental is located on the bike itself, equipped with, among others, a GPS location and GSM communication modules.
Self-service municipal bike sharing systems have been the precursor of shared mobility in Poland. The very first public bike sharing system was commissioned by the City of Krakow in 2008 and consisted of barely 12 stations and 100 bikes. Several years later, in 2021, bike sharing systems were available in over 90 Polish towns and cities, and their total bicycle fleet amounted to over 20,000. Importantly, this figure represents only about two-thirds of the market’s potential, which was hit by the coronavirus pandemic that started in 2020.
The ultimate function of a municipal bike sharing system is to provide city residents with a healthy, affordable and eco-friendly form of transport, which they can use for every day commute. As an association, we support the sustainable development of public bike sharing systems that meet both the needs of residents and the market realities. We are open for cooperation in this regard.
