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Citi Bike Operator Is Developing A Dockless Bike
By
Emma Whitford
Published Aug 30, 2017
Modified Aug 30, 2017
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Scott Lynch / Gothamist
By
Emma Whitford
Published Aug 30, 2017
Modified Aug 30, 2017
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Motivate, the company that operates Citi Bike, is working behind the scenes on a bike model with a built-in lock, the company confirmed Wednesday.
"It's basically a smart bike that has the capability to do a number of things, like lock into existing stations but also potentially have an external lock that could lock to other things in the city and potentially lock to itself," Motivate spokeswoman Dani Simons told Gothamist.
The new bike model, which would also be compatible with loading docks, is not being actively pursued in New York City at this time, according to Motivate. Nor is it being pursued in Motivate's other cities, which include Boston, Washington D.C., Chicago, the Bay Area, and Portland. But there's a long-game plan to bring down production costs for bike share programs. New technologies, including dockless bikes, could help Motivate expand more rapidly, according to the company. Plans have been in the works for over a year, and ramped up in February when Citi Bike merged with 8D Technologies.
"We've been talking to New York City about new technology and new approaches to Citi Bike that would allow the program to expand more rapidly, but not dockless specifically," Simons said. "The city has said they are interested in exploring new technology, so we are sharing that new sentiment."
Scott Gastel, a spokesman for the Department of Transportation, did not address dockless technology specifically in a statement to Gothamist. He did stress, though, that DOT's focus is on the expansion of the dock model to additional neighborhoods in the program's second phase.
"We are always interested in what the newest generation of bike sharing technology can do to expand the system," Gastel stated. "We're exploring ways to apply the new technology in a safe and reliable manner, with proper oversight—toward any next phase of expansion."
Earlier this month, the dockless bike share company Spin attempted to launch in New York City, only to be hit with a cease and desist letter from DOT, citing lack of authorization in the form of a permit or contract.
DOT commissioner Polly Trottenberg said at the time that while DOT is looking into using dockless bike share technology in the future, "this can't be the Wild West, with ad hoc installations that haven't received City approval and that don't fully consider the future of bike sharing in New York."
In a statement to reporters, a spokesperson from Spin said that the company looks forward to "planned, robust conversations with NYCDOT to help bring our innovative model of transportation to New York City."
To date, efforts by Citi Bike, advocates, and members of the City Council to secure city funding for outer borough expansion have fallen flat. In May, Citi Bike pitched a plan to fund its own expansion, in exchange for fewer fees and protections against competitors like Spin. Trottenberg called talks about the later proposal "preliminary" in May.
Caroline Samponaro, a spokeswoman for the advocacy group Transportation Alternatives, said that while new technologies are welcome, an equitable distribution of the the proven Citi Bike model, with docks, should be priority one.
"We're supportive of the city trying out the dockless concept, but... there is no reason why the proven model can't be expanded while we try out dockless," she said.
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