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Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: Great idea but what next? World Streets New Mobility Partnerships www.newmobility.org World Streets – The voice of sustainable transportation Europe: 8/10 rue Joseph Bara, 75006 Paris, France. USA: 9440 Readcrest Dr. Los Angeles, CA 90210 Eric Britton , EMBARQ, Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009

Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: Great idea but what next?

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World Streets. Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: Great idea but what next?. Eric Britton , EMBARQ, Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009. New Mobility Partnerships – www.newmobility.org World Streets – The voice of sustainable transportation - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: Public Bikes in Latin American Cities:  Great idea but what next?

Public Bikes in Latin American Cities:

Great idea but what next?

World Streets

New Mobility Partnerships – www.newmobility.orgWorld Streets – The voice of sustainable transportationEurope: 8/10 rue Joseph Bara, 75006 Paris,  France.  USA: 9440 Readcrest Dr. Los Angeles, CA  90210   

Eric Britton , EMBARQ, Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009

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New Mobility Partnerships

Author’s introduction

This presentation was made to a strategy session organized by the EMBARQ program of the World Resources Institute that took place in Cuernavaca Mexico on 2 July 2009. I was asked specifically to report on the role that public or shared bike systems might eventually play in Latin American cities. There has been considerable interest shown by politicians, some planners and transporters, public interest groups (mainly cyclists of course) and the media across the region over the last year or so. But how to move ahead with a concept which until now has been largely successful in European cities, under circumstances on the ground that differ considerably in most cases. This presentation represents my attempt to plant a few seeds.

Eric Britton

New Mobility Partnerships and World StreetsParis, 2 July 2009

Eric BrittonNew Mobility Partnerships and World Streets

Paris and Los Angeles

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 2

Author checking his hot air

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In brief:

1. Why bikes in cities?

2. And public bikes?

3. Short history of PBS – time line

4. Shared bikes today – Worldwide, and by region

5. Planning and decision checklists

6. Criteria for success

7. Alternative approaches

8. Reinventing the public bike for LA cities

9. Now what?

10. The planner’s challenge

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 3

Pointing the way

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Challenges of transport in cities? (And whatever are those?)

EMBARQ, Cuernavaca, 2/07/09 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 4

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Bikes are important, because they offer . . .

High quality, no-wait O/D transport Economical for users Lost cost to public sector Excellent environmental impacts Takes pressure off the transit system Public health benefits Increase city amenity and neighborly behavior Because they are democratic Because they simulate new thinking & inspire new approaches And because they are cool

EMBARQ, Cuernavaca, 2/07/09 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 5

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What’s a Public Bike?

Day to day city transportation by shared (public) bicycles Open to all registered users/clients. Bikes located in on-street stations (i.e., not garaged) Pick up/drop off at multiple locations within service area Fully automated check-out/check-in service Available 24/7. Free or almost free for very short periods Implementable with many different variants It is, in fact, a true form of “automobility.”

EMBARQ, Cuernavaca, 2/07/09 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 6

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The Public Bike Tsunami: Some highpoints, 1966 - 2009

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 7

1966 – Amsterdam White Bikes (Netherlands)1973 – La Rochelle Vélos Jaunes (France)1996 – Copenhagen Bycyklen (Denmark)1998 – Rennes Vélo à la Carte (France)2002 – DB Berlin Call-a-Bike (Germany) 2003 – Citybike Wien Vienna (Austria)2004 – Dutch Rail OV-fiets (Netherlands)2005 – Lyon Vélo’v (France)2005 – Chivasso Bicincittà (Italy)2007 – Paris Vélib’ (France)2007 – Barcelona (Spain)2008 – Seville SEVici (Spain)2009 – Montreal BiXi (Canada)

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A genuine new urban transport mode

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 8

“Very quickly, we have moved from being a curiosity to a genuine new urban transport mode. We invented the public/individual transport system.”

- Gilles Vesco, Vice-president, Grand Lyon, on his city’s experience with Vélo’v

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World Wide Bikesharing – The big picture, July 2009

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 9

Source: MetroBike/GoogleGreen = go. And ? = ?

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Bike-sharing in Europe

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 10

Source: MetroBike/Google

The original Bikeshare project White Bikes, Amsterdam, 1967

Edited copy of Paul's PBS map

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Bike-sharing in North America

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 11

Source: MetroBike/GoogleLook at all those question marks.

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Bike-sharing in Latin America

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 12

Source: MetroBike/Google

Edited copy of Paul's PBS map

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Bicycle modal share in selected European cities

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 13

Source: Cycling in the Netherlands 2009

Protected cycling

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City cycling trends – International comparisons

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 14

Source: Cycling in the Netherlands 2009

Cycling as daily transport for all

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Common Public Bike Features

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 15

1. Add a new dimension to urban mobility

2. Extend and complete range of public transport services

3. Integrate the options into a seamless multimodal package

4. Available on-demand

5. For city-length journeys.

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Multiple advantages and benefits

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 16

1. Provide cost-effective on-demand transportation

2. Huge environmental and public benefits

3. Reach out to destinations un- or under-served by other transit modes

4. Require less infrastructure than other modes of transportation

5. Inexpensive to produce and maintain

6. Do not add to traffic congestion

7. Do not create pollution in their operation

8. Improve cycling safety by increasing number of cyclists on the street

9. Cut back on theft of personal bicycles

10. Provide users with the added benefit of healthy exercise.

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The bottom line for your city

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 17

1. City Bikes work! Get the planning right and your project is going to be a success.

2. Low cost: Your City Bike project is not going to gut your transport budget.

3. Fast on line: Planning and implementation time for a large city may range from one to two years, max. For well prepared smaller cities considerably less. 

4. High synergies: Good project will provide strong synergies with your public transport and traffic control /restraint programs.

5. Revitalizing the center: Remember what excessive dependence on cars did to your central city the last time? Well, city bikes provide a means for restoring the center.

6. Lots of ways of doing it: We strongly recommend you have a close look at all available choices.

7. Partners: Numerous viable partners with whom you can work to ensure your project’s success

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A public bike? But it’s not just one more pretty bike project.

Significant public transport project in its own right. A roads and infrastructure project of some dimensions. A city center economic development/revival project. A social project that works to tie people together in soft ways A public health project in a time of need. A climate project for your city that can make a difference. A nudge to changing the minds of planners, the public &the media A 21st century exercise in deep democracy & active citizenry.

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 18

This is the true nature, scale and range of your public bike project. And this is your opportunity. But are you really ready for it?

Rather it’s a . . .

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Not just one more pretty bike project. Rather it’s a . . .

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 19

Comprehensive, integrated, complex physical/logistics system

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Not just one more pretty bike project. Rather it’s a . . .

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 20

Complex, ubiquitous, social system that knits people together

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What kind of shared bike project for you?

Full-scale Paris, Barcelona, Lyon, Seville style city bike project? (Operational services with thousands of bikes blanketing the city)

Comprehensive small city system: ex. Orleans, Dijon , Brescia?(Hundreds of bikes with good area coverage)

Transit node service: Berlin, Frankfurt,?(Hundreds of bikes focusing on main transit/rail nodes)

City “learner system” such as Brussels, Washington DC?(Characteristically hundred or so bikes serving a limited zone)

Tourist/Visitor service: More than 50, from N. to S. of Europe?(Small fleets of bikes to encourage tourist movements during their visit)

Campus shared bike project ?(As many as several hundreds of bikes serving a specific area/group)

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 21

* Each of these are radically different in just about all key respects. Our main focus here today is on full scale city bike projects.

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Confirming the role of cycling, walking & public space

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 22

After decades of neglect Reaching beyond the boundaries of long

entrenched car-based transport planning and investment approaches

Opening up new questions and new possibilities in a high profile manner

Changing the public & political discourse Engaging citizens of all ages & social classes Drawing in the media in new ways Transforming the city and daily lives

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For public bike project success, ask yourself . . .

1. Is your city’s topography adapted to bike use?

2. What about the weather?

3. Is necessary (critical!) supporting infrastructure in place?

4. Extent, density and quality of public transit coverage?

5. Land use/Activity mix/ Are there places to go in service area?

6. Is your city government 100% behind this project?

7. Do they fully appreciate the full dimensions of the challenge?

8. Is it understood that this is a full-scale public transportation project . . . and

(not just one more nice bike project )

9. Vandalism? Bike thefts? Public attitudes to public facilities?

10. And what about . . . street maintenance levels, police support, driver attitudes

and training, public attitudes to cycling/cyclists . . .

11. Degree of city’s continuing commitment to sustainable development?

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 23

Checking in for the 1st time

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More challenges/criteria for success

• Job creation and skills development opportunities?• Road maintenance?• Vandalism/bike thefts, public attitudes to public facilities?• Commitment to, capacity for law enforcement?• Driver attitudes and skill levels • What about that on-street outdoor advertising?• Are we up to the deep communications, negotiation challenges?• Cycle clubs, environmental and support groups? • Capacity for working with public/private partnerships?• So, what’s our business plan?• Now, where do we go next?

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 24

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Alternatives to a full scale city bike project

• Are we too small for a city-wide PBS?

• Is it too early for us to face the full challenges involved.

• What about a project aimed at tourists and visitors, as opposed to a

more ambitious public transport project ?

• Campus shared bike projects?

• Strategies for demo or pilot projects?

• Can these serve as “starter projects”

• Growing your small project.

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 25

Shared bikes at St. Xavier Univ. in Chicago

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Some closing thoughts

• Safe cycling provision. Are you really up for it in your city?

• Caveat: Injuries and deaths of cyclists are the direct accountability of the city authority!!!

• What about a “Street Code” for your city?

• Business model? (Remember this is a new field)

• Financing strategies? (Lots of options there)

• Identify and work with all qualified suppliers

• Supplier/partner selection

• Phased negotiation with your new partner

• Contractual sticks – but don’t forget the carrots

• Planning for the long term

• Getting time on your side

• Next stage expansion strategies

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 26

It takes a bit of work to get there

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My best suggestions for PBS development in Latin America.

1. Every city in region should be encouraged/helped to carry out

a careful (public) bicycle survey? Such a survey, well done, will lead to many new visions and ideas In most cases, will show city not (yet) ready for PBS, but Will yield many valuable clues for new sustainable transition policies

2. Would help greatly to have some good “templates” Detailed guidelines to assist the city teams in doing this well + access to supporting information and counsel via the web

3. Expert workshops could be very useful: First and ASAP in a cycle of major LA cities – with high visibility Then possibly as national workshops Bring in international experts with hands-n experience Welcome supplier participation

4. What kind of support to pioneering cities?

5. Where to start? We need some strong examples in the region?

6. When to start? Why, this morning, of course.Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 27

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What will the first great Latin America PBS look like?

1. NOT like the mainline European examples

2. And Not like what we are seeing in the US

3. Will be tailored to the realities and priorities of Latin American cities

4. Will strategically substitute people for technology (surprise)

5. Will combine job creation and training, aiming to create employment and

social integration possibilities for the young

6. Will be planned in deeply democratic, highly strategic, wide open manner Bring in as active players full range of all public groups and interests in city and region Will specially target , try to integrate all groups/interests that a priori are against Will invite all potential suppliers to join discussions from the beginning Will bring on board international participants with hands-on experience

7. Will be a matter of enormous pride of the city as a whole

8. Will bring the media on board from the beginning

9. And be 100% ready to roll on Day 1.

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 28

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The planner’s challenge1. The great weakness of most PBS projects to date has been the result of utterly

insufficient depth of knowledge on the part of the local plan team.

2. The challenge is being consistently underestimated. So almost every project is repeating

the same fundamental errors.

3. To give you a first module, we estimate that at least several hundred hours of in-depth

research, contacts with suppliers and successful cities are necessary just to be able to

start to understand the issues and trade-offs for planning and policy purposes.

4. Google and its extensions are a nice help to get you started, but they are, let’s guess, less

than 10% of what you need to do and know. What to do about the remaining 90?

5. A few days in a city with a successful project is barely a beginning. You are going to

have to simulate at least 100 use cycles yourself to appreciate the user perspective.

6. Without direct collegial access to at least three qualified suppliers, you are not going to

have the depth of insight needed for your project.

7. Likewise for in-depth contacts with cities with successful implementations

8. The critical factor is your full understanding of the benefits a project brings. This is a

demanding technical exercise, but without it you will never get the scale right.

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 29

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Why one citizen likes his public bike Because they accomplish an important job for all

And they are fair (democratic, classless transportation)

Because they are nimble and fast

And there when/where you need them (or almost always)

Because they are free (almost always)

And let you chose where and how

They offer a nice little workout for the sedentary city dweller

They make you more aware of the weather (i.e., life)

Certainly the best way to see your city

They are social, invite eye to eye contact

People often help out each other at stations

Small mutual compromises with pedestrians and motorists

The slight question of uncertainty (available bike, parking slot)

Because you can ways find a work-around for it.

They make you smart (because you have to keep thinking)

The provide potentially good transition jobs for young people

And when you are on a bike in the city, you belong

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 30

A typical Parisian transferring from shared-Metro to shared-bike

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 Europe: The Commons, EcoPlan International8/10 rue Joseph Bara 75006 Paris, France + 331.4326.1323 [email protected] Skype: ericbritton SightSpeed.com: ericbritton

North America:  New Mobility Partnerships9440 Readcrest Dr.  Los Angeles CA  90210 +1 310 601-8468 [email protected]. Skype: newmobility SightSpeed.com: newmobility

Cuernavaca, 2 July 2009 Public Bikes in Latin American Cities: What next? 31

Pointing the way to New Mobility

New Mobility Partnerships: 2009 - 2012

World Streets – The sustainable transport dailyInsights and discussion points from leading thinkers and practitioners around the world. Pick it up this morning at http://www.worldstreets.org

For latest versions of this presentation:

English language version at:

* http://tinyurl.com/ws-embarq-ppt Spanish language version at:

* (perhaps to follow?) To join discussions of this presentation:

* (To follow on World Streets)

* An article on bad PBS planning appeared in World Streets on 11 May 2009. Maybe worth a read.