Toronto Bike Share

[McGillicuddy]

Seems to be the exact same model as City bike in NYC. How did we come to that model?

We're ordering off a limited menu: whatever model the city buys, the bikes need to be fully compatible with the existing dock and charger infrastructure. Ideally we'd also like a model which has been road-tested in similar installations, and which is maximally compatible with existing maintenance processes. (As much as possible, we want to use a single set of tools, train maintenance personnel on a single model, stock a single set of spare parts, etc.)

Those factors lead us to Devinci, which supplies bikes to Bixi-style systems all over the western world, including Citi Bike.

 

[afransen]

Was thinking the same after seeing all the expansion in South Etobicoke. I think this would make sense with Mississauga and an expansion along the waterfront towards Port Credit.

I would suggest uploading to Metrolinx if they weren't such a catastrophically incompetent and ineffective organization. I trust the Toronto Parking Authority more... Just give them funding.

 

[MisterF]

We're ordering off a limited menu: whatever model the city buys, the bikes need to be fully compatible with the existing dock and charger infrastructure. Ideally we'd also like a model which has been road-tested in similar installations, and which is maximally compatible with existing maintenance processes. (As much as possible, we want to use a single set of tools, train maintenance personnel on a single model, stock a single set of spare parts, etc.)

Those factors lead us to Devinci, which supplies bikes to Bixi-style systems all over the western world, including Citi Bike.

Devinci is a Canadian company so it's cool to see them have success with so many bikeshare systems. Here's what they say about it on their website:

Devinci’s manufacturing expertise even made its way into major urban cities, via innovative urban mobility solutions leading to more than 125,000 public bikes in cities such as Montreal and Toronto, but also London, Madrid, Barcelona, Monaco, Dubai, Rio de Janeiro, Honolulu and Aspen.

 

[Full Metal Junkie]

Devinci is a Canadian company so it's cool to see them have success with so many bikeshare systems. Here's what they say about it on their website:

Methinks Devinci becoming such a dominant company in the bikeshare space has something to do with Montreal's Bixi bikeshare system being the first of its kind in North America. (Devinci being Quebec-based)
They pioneered this system and are now reaping the rewards.

 

[txlseries4]

If the city had half a brain they’d contract bike share to other municipalities willing to pay.

Are you saying if Toronto had half a brain? Because Toronto itself contracts a company to operate bike share, it's been Shift Transit since 2017. It’s not like it’s the city's idea to license out

 

[innsertnamehere]

Are you saying if Toronto had half a brain? Because Toronto itself contracts a company to operate bike share, it's been Shift Transit since 2017. It’s not like it’s the city's idea to license out

Shift Transit is the contracted operator but the City absolutely owns the brand and overall system. It's part of the Toronto Parking Authority.

The City could absolutely license it's network system, fare structure, and branding to other municipalities. Same with the TPA "Green P" brand for that matter. I bet more municipalities than you initially expect would be interested in maintaining consistent branding as familiarity and a proven system drives successful outcomes, and without having to set up individual systems for what will for the most part be much smaller systems. A lot of people would enjoy having Bike Share docks in Port Credit or VMC, along with being able to pay for parking in these areas on their GreenP app..

 

[Andy_in_Toronto]

We're ordering off a limited menu: whatever model the city buys, the bikes need to be fully compatible with the existing dock and charger infrastructure. Ideally we'd also like a model which has been road-tested in similar installations, and which is maximally compatible with existing maintenance processes. (As much as possible, we want to use a single set of tools, train maintenance personnel on a single model, stock a single set of spare parts, etc.)

Those factors lead us to Devinci, which supplies bikes to Bixi-style systems all over the western world, including Citi Bike.

I asked BikeShare staff today about Devinci. They bought about 20 e-bikes to test them out first. Almost like an Easter egg to find them.

On another note about one battery pack gets stolen 1 out of 20 e-bikes of BikeShare. Sad!

 

[afransen]

Shift Transit is the contracted operator but the City absolutely owns the brand and overall system. It's part of the Toronto Parking Authority.

The City could absolutely license it's network system, fare structure, and branding to other municipalities. Same with the TPA "Green P" brand for that matter. I bet more municipalities than you initially expect would be interested in maintaining consistent branding as familiarity and a proven system drives successful outcomes, and without having to set up individual systems for what will for the most part be much smaller systems. A lot of people would enjoy having Bike Share docks in Port Credit or VMC, along with being able to pay for parking in these areas on their GreenP app..

That's why some kind of regional rollup with Presto would be nice. In the NL, their national bike rental system OV-Fiets allows you to use their bikes for last mile travel from stations on a pretty cheap daily rate. It makes using transit much more compelling because it is cheap, easy and integrated into the fare card. Each municipality having its own system, with its own app, and own rules/fee structure makes it too onerous to think about using bike share for trips in the burbs and limits uptake.

 

[bedoozled]

In the NL, their national bike rental system OV-Fiets allows you to use their bikes for last mile travel from stations on a pretty cheap daily rate. It makes using transit much more compelling because it is cheap, easy and integrated into the fare card.

Would love this. For instance, last weekend I had to get down to the CNE grounds but there was a planned TTC line 2 outage on the segment by me. So I took BikeShare along the protected Bloor lanes instead of the shuttle buses, but because I don't feel safe riding on Dufferin I docked and took the Sufferin bus down for the rest of the trip. Would have been nice to have an integrated fare.

 

[rbt]

Methinks Devinci becoming such a dominant company in the bikeshare space has something to do with Montreal's Bixi bikeshare system being the first of its kind in North America.

More than that. Montreal, the city, lost 34 million financing deployments to Chicago, NY, and London. They literally bought mind-share and economies of scale making the infrastructure appealing for other cities to buy.

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

I asked BikeShare staff today about Devinci. They bought about 20 e-bikes to test them out first. Almost like an Easter egg to find them.

I just ridden one by chance! Impressions:

• The bike seat adjustment lock is the best implementation I have seen. You just need to lift the mechanism and adjust and push it back down. Can even be down while in motion if you were desperate.
• This thing feels like a heavier bike. Even so, it seems to accelerate with the electric motor quicker than the standard e-bikes.
• The overall look and feel while riding is much more reminiscent of bikes I have used in other systems in cities in Europe.

 

[rbt]

Replacement station being installed at Bloor and Ted Rogers Way.