Capital Bike Share (CaBi) a Victim of Its own Success?

10th and U St, NW

When CaBi was first released I got a number of emails praising the system. Over the past few months I’ve received a number of emails expressing frustration. Personally I’ve also been frustrated with the system. Sometimes I feel like the people who run CaBi at DDOT are a little bit too self congratulatory. The idea of the system is awesome. The system today sucks. Far too many people are unable to get bikes when they want them. Yet other stations seem hardly touched. I even had one reader write that they were considering getting a bike a half hour early – taking it to their apartment so they’d the have one for their commute. That is ridiculous. Another reader writes, “I just tallied up the 8 stations that service this area (A/M, ColHts, Mt. Plst, etc). Out of 118 possible docks, there are currently 17 bikes available. And who knows how many of those 17 are operable.” The system continues to have extraordinary potential but the powers that be need to understand that many many users currently feel fracked by the system. And that needs to change.

If you’d like to express your frustration there is a public meeting on Wednesday, May 25. From DDOT:

Starting this summer, DDOT is planning to expand the current system with 25 new stations and 250 new bikes. The expansion is set to be completed by Fall 2011.

At the meeting, DDOT officials will provide an update on the expansion plan, explain the process for evaluating new stations, share the feedback that has been received from the community about the potential locations for new stations, and solicit additional feedback from the participants.

A listing of the proposed station locations and a printable map is available online at ddot.dc.gov/capitalbikeshare. Comments may be submitted via email to [email protected].

Capital Bikeshare is a bikesharing program developed through a partnership between DDOT and Arlington County and operated by Alta Bicycle Share, Inc. Capital Bikeshare offers four different membership options: Annual ($75), Monthly ($25), 5-Day ($15) and 24-hour ($5) for access to a fleet of 1,100 bicycles located at over 110 stations across the District and Arlington. Additional information about Capital Bikeshare is available at www.CapitalBikeshare.com.

What: Public Meeting for the Expansion of Capitol Bikeshare

When: Wednesday, May 25, 2011
6 – 8 pm

Where: 441 4th Street, NW, Room 1107, Washington, DC

Building Museum at 5th and F St, NW