Bradford looks at the reasons, such as maintenance, rider safety, and expected low ridership, that systems cite for shutting down over the winter, as well as the logistics of tearing a system down for three months.
He points out that users of such systems "may feel a bit deceived in purchasing a one year membership and not getting year-round access, but despite riders' disappointment, 'most people understand our reasoning for doing so,'" according to Tyler Reeder of Denver Bike Sharing.
Thanks to Garrett Bradford